Cookie Dough Cupcakes - The Highs and the lows...

The Highs

There was a "ladies' holiday lunch" at my office last week and I signed up to bring a dessert... After seeing this delicious-looking recipe over on www.kevinandamanda.com, I decided that I absolutely had to try it. I mean, Cookie Dough Cupcakes. Do I need to say more?

It wasn’t difficult and was actually kind of fun... I made the cookie dough the day before and used my new cookie dough scooper to make the cookie dough balls to put in the freezer. Afterward I begged on here and to all of my friends to save me from the left-over dough... It was delicious. And it was egg-free, so perfectly safe to eat. (Although, I have never really been that nervous about eating raw cookie dough, to be honest...)

  Save me.

The next evening it was time to make the cupcakes. You literally just plop the frozen cookie dough ball on top of the dough... So simple.

For some reason, mine did not drop in as completely as Amanda’s... For the second batch, I smooshed them in just a tiny bit to help them on their way... Even though they didn’t drop all the way out of sight like Amanda’s the cookie dough still stayed raw like it was supposed to!

The cookie dough buttercream icing was super simple to make and tasted DELICIOUS. I just piped it on, sprinkled some left-over chocolate chips on top, and VOILA!

 Resting on their nifty carrier...

 On display for the party...

And to show you the result........

Cookie dough was still raw! And it was fantastic!!!

And I got to use my awesome new collapsible cupcake carrier from Sur La Table to carry them! It holds 24 cucpakes when expanded.

 Photo from here.

Now for the lows...

I had taken the leftover cupcakes to my friend’s house to share them, but after we had gone out to eat, none of us were hungry enough for them... I took them home instead of leaving them there even though we would be going back there the next day because I wanted to bring them the next morning when we went to get our hair done and share them there too...

It’s been raining like crazy here in Southern California, so when we got home I handed J my house key so that he could just run in while I gathered up my stuff from the car... (I carry an umbrella - he doesn’t... It just made sense to let him get out of the rain...) So I had my purse, my umbrella, the cupcakes, my key so that I could lock my car... Got the car locked just fine, but as I was shifting everything to be able to reach for the door handle to go in the house........

I somehow caught one of the clips that hold the cupcake carrier together and it unsnapped.

And dropped all 10 of the remaining delicious cupcakes onto my rain-soaked front path....

I was devastated. I may or may not have cried about it. A lot.

My friend kept reminding me that they were just cupcakes and it was ok, but I was bummed. It’s just that I had worked so hard on them and was so proud of them...

(I swear there is something in my eye right now... I did not just mist up at the memory! UGH! PMS sucks....)

And they ended up in a trash bag where no one else could taste them and tell me what an awesome job I did. (So maybe I like praise... You got a problem with that??)

Oh well. C’est la vie, right? I’ve already decided that I am going to make a small batch next week while I am off so that I can take them over to my friend’s house when she and her husband get back from visiting his family in Canada for the holidays...

And I WILL NOT drop them this time.

Here’s the recipe because you know you want to try them! This is copied and pasted from Kevin and Amanda’s blog... She deserves the credit for the adaptation, but she credits where she adapted it from too.... ENJOY!

(Just don’t drop them...)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
with Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting

For the cookie dough:
2 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
3 sticks softened butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the cookie dough, combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 mins. Beat in milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Beat in the flour and salt until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Using a 1.5 tbsp scoop, shape the dough into balls or tubes. Freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet overnight.

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla.

Using a 3 tbsp scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
Bake at 350 for 16-18 mins.

To make the frosting, combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.  Beat in the salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips!

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Cookie dough adapted from Picky Palate. Cupcake and frosting adapted from Annie’s Eats.

Save Me

I am asking for someone to save me from my left-over cookie dough for the cupcakes I am making tomorrow for my work holiday lunch... It's egg-free, so it's perfectly safe to eat raw. It's really yummy... My boy-cat agrees.

Save me!

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Things I Am Thinking About RIGHT Now....

- The holiday gift exchange we were supposed to go to last Friday got moved to this Friday...

- Yesterday felt like Thursday. Today feels like Friday. I seriously hate when that happens.

- I love Ann Taylor. Like, A LOT. I’m so glad there is an Ann Taylor factory store near enough to me so that I can get the clothes I want for half the price...

- I finally did a little Christmas shopping. I now pretty much have J completely covered... I had e-mailed our friend’s dad about a handheld GPS thing that he takes offroading with him so that he can track where he’s been. J had been geeking out about it, so I wanted to get him one. After hearing back and looking it up... I’m not spending $300 on it... Sorry, honey.

- I still need to get something for my parents and for my brother and his wife. And I need to get stuff for the people in my office that I like enough to give something... I’m thinking this year I am going to make fudge. J says that as long as there are left-overs for him, he will help me make the crap-ton of fudge that it will take to get everyone. I told him that that can be arranged...

- I am loving Angry Birds Seasons... The Christmas version is a little advent calendar... You can only open up one new level each day until Christmas :-)

- My car is now a year old... Only two years to go. I’ve already been debating what car to get next... I love my IS, but I gotta plan... haha I’m thinking maybe a Highlander... I’m surprised that it took me a full year to start thinking about it... I guess I must truly love the IS. When I behave like a responsible adult and get more practical cars, I start thinking about the next car after maybe a week... haha

- The “lady” next to me at work is taking tomorrow off and two more days in the next two weeks. Last second. Right before we are off for the holidays. Tomorrow is so she can go to the spa. I understand that people are entitled to take time off if they have it, but I really cannot remember the last time she worked a full week. I want to punch her in the mouth every time I hear her complain about not having enough time to get everything done.

- J was complaining about Christmas music the other day in stores... So when we were back in the car, I jokingly put on the Hanukah channel on my xm. Oh, WOW! SOOOO much worse... Seriously.

- I am really looking forward to tonight’s episode of Bones... It looks really good.

- I cannot BELIEVE that it is already time for the Season Finale of Dexter!!! It went by way too quickly...

- The day after I get to quit working (I can dream....) I am going to dye my hair bright red to celebrate. Or bright purple. Simply because I can.

- I hope all the stuff I ordered for J gets here in time for me to wrap...

- I need to put up my mini tree and decorate it... Maybe it will help me get more in the Christmas spirit... It just doesn’t feel like Christmas this year... Not anywhere near my family, my best friend and her husband are leaving for Canada on Christmas Eve to see his family... I am just feeling really blah about Christmas right now.

- I hope J took the subtle-as-a-brick “hint” about my Amazon wish list and buys me the things I want... J: What do you want for Christmas? Me: I’ve been making an Amazon wish-list. Haha

- I have to bust out my sewing machine when I get home because I just noticed that there is a place on the leg of my brand new, super comfy grey Ann Taylor cords where the seam is coming undone! Ugh..... This will not do....

Let's Catch Up, Shall We?

I’m lame... Totally lame. It’s been WAY too long since I wrote and the amount of garbage rolling around in my brain is telling me I need to fix that ASAP. So here I am... Trying to get back into my usual routine...

As a way of doing that...

Here is what I have been doing while I haven’t been here...

- We went on one of our off-road camping trips. It was a great time... Except for when J had to bail off the quad and cracked a rib. And the crazy, horrible adventure of two broken bikes in the middle of the dunes and the search to bring them back that left those of us who remained at camp wondering where the missing were and if we would EVER see them again. Also left me as “Faux-Mommy” to our friend’s daughter... He was part of “the missing.” Luckily they made it back, no one hurt except the two bikes, Cass was REALLY happy to see her daddy, and we were all able to resume relaxing.

 

 And I had been having a phenomenal time riding the quad. I kept coming back to rest and get some water and then would run back over and ride off again...

- Discovered the amazing deliciousness of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s Red Velvet Hot Chocolate. Oh my yum.

- Got really confused by Yogurtland’s hours...

 Seems a little repetitive to me... (Kinda hard to see... Says: Sun-Thurs 10:30 am - Midnight; Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 12:00 am)

- Been super-ridiculously-disgustingly busy at work. There was one point where I spent three days putting bows and ribbons on the spouse gift for the payoff dinner for an incentive. Yes, I knew full well that no one would care what they looked like - all they would care about was what was inside the box... But I also knew that everyone would know that I was the one that prepared them, and if they looked like crap, I would have been really bugged by it... Other than that, it has been go, go, go for so long that I forgot what a moment to breathe felt like. It seems like every day I have a new task added to my job... I’m just wondering when it’s gonna stop... There’s has to be a breaking point...

- J got me a Kindle for my birthday (which was back in MAY... we lag a little on getting presents for each other) and I was reading my BUTT off so that I could finish the actual books I was reading so that I could start using my Kindle.

- I did a couple crafty projects that require a little fine-tuning before I am ready to share them.

- We did Thanksgiving with my best friend’s family and had a blast. J made his “signature” mashed potatoes that he had been telling me about for 8 years, but had never made for me... I have nicknamed them “pommes trois gras” or three-fat potatoes... haha (I realize that technically is says three-fat apples, but I figured since they just call french fries “pommes frites” then people would get what I meant...) In these potatoes you will find bacon, cream instead of milk, butter, onions and garlic sautéed in the bacon grease, and then the potatoes themselves are tossed back into the pan with a little bit of bacon grease. So decadent. I don’t even want to know how many calories were in these potatoes...

- We only went to two stores on Black Friday and both late in the day so there was no craziness... My best friend and I went to Kohl’s because she wanted to look around. I ended up buying myself a really pretty emerald ring (my birthstone) because I’d wanted one for quite a while and the sale was just too good to pass up. Now I just need to get it sized so I can wear it. The other store was Best Buy. While there, I developed an angry pout as I kept seeing the new RED Nintendo Wii’s. I was very jealous and spent the time thinking about how stupid my boring white Wii is... Oh well.... J also found a great deal on a tv - we have been needing a new tv for our room for a while. The one we had in there was tiny and it was dying... Plus, by using my Best Buy Rewards Certificates, the price of the tv was looking better and better. So we went for it. It’s normal to have a 40-inch lcd tv mounted on the wall in your bedroom, right? Right.

- We cleaned. Man, oh man, did we clean. It’s been a long time coming - we both just have so much.... JUNK... that we just don’t need cluttering the house. We’ve been meaning to do a real deep clean of the house for a while and just haven’t had time. But we decided that if we didn’t make time, it was never going to happen. We did what we could until we ran out of room in the trash can and we both ran out of steam. I honestly don’t know where it all came from or what I was keeping it for, but I ended up taking 6 big trash bags full of clothes to Goodwill. It was ridiculous. And if J would just clean out the area in front of my closet in the office more so that I can actually comfortably get in it to go through it, I’m pretty sure I’ll have another bag. My mantra has been “I will not be a hoarder; I will not be a hoarder!” J has to finish the garage so that we can move some stuff out there for storage and then we can finish the office and music room. I also want to go through my bookshelves and clear out books that I can get on my Kindle. It’s a lot of work and there’s still plenty more to do, but it’s going to feel so nice to be uncluttered for once...

- J had an ill-timed cough that sent cracked rib to broken rib earlier this week. I heard him cough and then heard him sound like someone stabbed him... He was in a lot of pain, but tried to leave for work anyway. He came back in a minute later saying that he couldn’t steer his work van and had to pull over a couple houses down. I told him that I would call in to work and stay home (such a sacrifice... Seriously, I will do pretty much anything if it means I don’t have to go in to my office....) and take him to the doctor. X-rays and exam and blah blah blah find out that the two-week mark is the dangerous point for healing ribs because 1. The bone is the weakest at that point because of the way it heals and 2. You aren’t in as much pain, so you aren’t being as careful. So we get to re-start the clock on the healing. He is going to be much more careful this time.

So... yeah. That’s a summary of the bigger things that have been going on... I am slightly dreading the next few weeks because they are always CRAZY busy. Last night we had to go get gifts for a gift exchange party. I am hoping that I don’t end up with something REALLY terrible or else I’ll be in a bad mood. I always buy something that I think is funny, but that someone will still not really be too upset about ending up with. Other people don’t seem to think that way... I picked out a really ugly stocking and filled it with Santa’s Coal Bubble Gum, a little toy Santa that poops out candy (because it was so much funnier and disturbing than the reindeer toy that poops out candy...), and a Santa Mr. Potato Head. Shoved all of those into a big gift bag and stuffed it to the top with tissue paper.

-- Side note: Our cable was acting weird last night, which meant we lost the second half of Bones. This also meant that I was left looking at the gift bag with the oddly-creepy Santa on it for too long and ending up giving him word bubbles. One of which says “Hey, baby, I got a ‘yule log’ for ya!” The other side says “Wanna come up to Santa's work shop and see the ‘north pole’?” Yeah... not normal. But I was giggling like crazy the whole time... -- 

 Seriously. It’s funny.

J purchased a Chris Rock compilation DVD from the $10 section at Target... He figured the movies on it are funny, so whoever gets it shouldn’t be too upset, but it’s still a really bizarre, funny gift. Oh, and his will be in a Hanukah (I cannot find a consistent answer on the spelling... So this is how I spell it.) bag. Because he’s Jewish. (I always picture in my head a wave of the hand while saying “Jew.... ish” I can’t help it... haha)

Next weekend we have to go to J’s cousin’s to celebrate Hanukah - this means we need to go find presents for all the little kids that will be there (No one buys presents for the grown-ups anymore - it’s all about the kids). All I care about is the latkes. YUM. Then there is a Ladie’s Holiday Luncheon at work that I am planning on making cupcakes for. I need to find time to make a crap-ton of fudge because that’s what I’m giving people that I like in my office for Christmas... I still need to do Christmas shopping... Ugh. I just keep reminding myself that the 23^rd is the last day that I will have to think about work this year. I am REALLY looking forward to my week off. I desperately need it. And am mad at myself for not taking the 4 vacations days I would have needed to use to make it a full two weeks off... Oh well...

I do love the holidays... I just need more time....... haha Isn't that always how it is?

How are your holiday preparations coming??

Wordless Wednesday - My First Fancy Pumpkin

I am linking this up with Angry Julie Monday's Wordless Wednesday and SITS Girls Halloween Crafts linky.

Things I Am Loving Right Now

Ok - I have been trapped in my stuffy head for too long and have become cranky while waiting not-so-patiently for my antibiotics to actually work. So I decided to shake myself out of it by thinking of things that do not suck...

- The Rocky Horror Glee Show last night: Other than the fact that I didn’t like Mercedes as Dr. Frank’n’furter, it was really good. Makes me want to watch the movie again - it’s been YEARS.

- Halloween: I love Halloween. Last year my Halloween got ruined by the fact that my darling husband had passed his stomach flu along to me... We didn’t even hand out candy because we felt too crappy to get off the couch. I can’t wait to see all the super cute little munchkins in their costumes! I love it.

- My ear is getting REALLY close to popping: My right ear has been kind of plugged since I got sick, but this past Monday it decided to plug completely. It’s painful and I can’t hear. Today it has “almost” popped a few times. I think I will be able to get it to pop by end of the day!! I am being very optimistic about this because it will make me feel a bazillion times better...

- The Weather: I think we still have a little more rain coming, but for now it’s sunny with a nice chilly bite in the air. It actually feels like fall and I am absolutely loving it.

- Harry Potter: I know the newest movie isn’t quite out yet, but every preview I see for it makes me more and more excited to see it! It’s been too long... I need new Harry Potter!!

- Sims 3: This is a dangerous one for me... I have played past versions of the Sims and I know that this one will suck me right in like the rest. But I have a lot of fun with it... I’m going to get it for my Nintendo DSi so that I can take it with me everywhere... I’m a grown-up child and I don’t care.

- An even closer first step promotion for J than the future supervisor position in the works: They are going to need team leads as the team keeps growing and he has it in the bag. Because he’s awesome... Plus, there’s still the supervisor job on the horizon, so BONUS! Bring on the raises! Kelly wants to stay at home!!

- My new riding gear:

       

****ALL IMAGES FROM HERE****

We bought a new (to us) quad a little while back. I can’t wait to get out and ride it so that I can really learn and get good at it. I have all my riding gear now and love it. I have my boots that I have been trying to break in, my helmet, really awesome pants and jersey, gloves that match the pants and jersey, goggles, super cute pink and black houndstooth riding socks, chest protector... I’m ready to go! And I may or may not keep putting it all on and strutting around the house in it because I can’t wait! I may even wear it to work on Friday as my costume...

- The number on the scale slowly moving in the right direction: I have been terrible about working out, but I have been trying really hard to be good about what I eat to make up for it... And I am very happy that the scale is starting to reflect that. I still need to get back into a work-out routine, but at least it’s moving. I am down a total of 18.5 pounds. Still have quite a bit to go, but not too shabby...

- Purple: I don’t know when the purple bug re-bit me. I used to love all things purple and then went through a green phase and then a red phase... Now I’m gravitating back to purple. Pretty much anything in a deep jewel tone is right up my alley, but I am seriously in love with dark purple lately. I have purple Vans that I just absolutely could not live without... (so dramatic...) Purple tops, my glasses are purple... And Harvey’s released a limited edition Seatbelt Bag that is purple and black and would match my Vans perfectly and be super cute to carry for Halloween time and I want it, but am trying REALLY hard to be good and not spend money I don’t need to spend considering I just spent a bundle on all my riding gear......... Sigh. But I want it. (And I just checked and there are only 6 left!!!!! SUPER SIGH.........) **Update: I checked again this morning and there were only 4 left!! I panicked... I decided I would be incredibly bummed to miss this bag, so I ordered it! Eeep. It's just... when it's gone... it's gone forever! I had to do it... Right? haha**

- The Olde Ship: There are two of these in Orange County - one in Fullerton and one in Santa Ana. It’s an English Pub and the food is fantastic. I love their Cornish Pasty (picture beef stew wrapped in pastry, covered in gravy... I am drooling right now)... They also have delicious custard for dessert... Oh man, I am going to have to go there again - SOON.

Ok... Apparently I can’t put off lunch-time any longer. I just made myself so hungry that the only things I can think of to add to this list now are food-related! Ooops... haha

So what are you loving right now??

Blah...

There are lessons that apparently I still have to learn... Such as: if you were sick recently, it's a bad idea to spend two days hanging out in cold, misty weather... Even if you felt like you were almost all better.  Because then you just end up with a fever and the beginning of bronchitis, an ear infection, and a sinus infection. Lame. Oh well... Now I get to snuggle on my couch while it's rainy and gray out...

The only reason I was out in the misty weather was because J and I spent the weekend at our friends' house working on our quads to get them ready for our upcoming trip to Glamis. I cannot wait for the trip... I am really excited to get to ride the quad and really learn what I'm doing. I've ridden quads before, but now I'll really be able to get good at it. I already have my boots, helmet, and chest protector. I ordered my riding gear - it just needs to get here. I'm ridiculously excited.

That's pretty much all I have the energy to type right now... It's time to go lay back down and watch some more tv. As soon as J gets back (he already had today off because he had to go to the dmv) we can do some catching up on everything in our dvr. We are WAY behind... haha

Hope you are all healthier than me today!

"I Was Never Meant To Work"

A friend at work bought me that - it’s a coaster. It’s not very clear, but it says “i was never meant to work.” I keep it on my desk at the office... It’s very true.

I’ve said before that I like my job, I like the company I work for, I’m even lucky enough to like most of the people I work with... But that if I didn’t have to work, I wouldn’t. I don’t like the petty behavior, the childishness, sitting at a desk all day in essentially a windowless office because the manager that sits in front of me never opens his blinds... I don’t like playing the game. And I really don’t think that having a different job would help - in my mind; the grass has just as much dog poop on it on the other side...

You know, it really just boils down to the fact that I hate actually having to go to an office every day... If I could work from home, where I would be left alone and it could be as quiet or as noisy as I want it to be, I would be so much happier. I’m pretty anti-social - especially if I’m working on a big project. I can’t stand having to over-hear stupid crap going on all around me constantly... It hurts my brain.

Here are a few examples of crap just in the past week that I wouldn’t have hurting my brain if I wasn’t here to hear it:

- Three “ladies” (I use that term very loosely) in the office making their plans for what time they were going to meet for a concert they were all going to, what snacks to bring, where to park... Blah blah blah... This was for about 30 minutes - right before they all went to lunch together! Really?? It couldn’t have waited?

- “Lady” next to me yelling at her children on the phone 75 - 90% of the day...

- “Lady” next to me lying to her bosses over and over again... “I always take your mail downstairs right after you give it to me!” (That’s a load of crap - you always have other people take it down because you are too lazy... That’s why I run past your desk without stopping...) “I never got that e-mail...” (Umm... yeah, you did. It was sent out to the whole office. And your boss totally called you out on it. Awesome.) Ugh.

- Other “lady” complaining for about 30 minutes yesterday. She had won an office drawing for box seats to an event - ended up with about 6 tickets or so because someone else couldn’t use theirs. Her complaint - there was no free food or drinks in the suite. She said it was “really embarrassing” because she had told the people she was bringing that there would be... Really? For who? So, tell me - did you have to pay to get in? Nope - free tickets. Were you down on the uncomfortable stadium seats? Nope - box seats. So... You and your family had to pay for some snacks and sodas because no one realized that you are apparently something really special and they should roll out the stinking red carpet for you and throw rose petals at your feet???? Poor. You.

- “Lady” next to me complaining about the fact that there is a training class using the lunch room today because the other classrooms were already booked. Ok... I get it. It’s inconvenient. But wait..... She is the one that handles all the scheduling of the rooms... If it’s so horrible to have the lunch room occupied - tell the people that set up the training that they absolutely cannot use it! Problem solved!

- Seeing a friend at work get bullied and her managers not doing anything about it... It makes me sick.

- Over-hearing yesterday that the “lady” next to me got even more of her responsibilities pawned off on someone else while I am continuously given even more crap to do. This just reinforces the fact in my head that if you bust your butt, the only reward you get is more work...

That’s just a small handful of examples. Add in the noise level because people seem to be incapable of controlling the VOLUME OF THEIR VOICES and you get a glimpse into why I would love working from home. Even then... I would probably still prefer to not work at all. But at least I’d be able to work in my jammies...

I recently was given a glorious light at the end of the tunnel that hopefully will make it so I won’t be sitting at this desk until my retirement date of June 16, 2045 (Gross, right? I almost cried the first time I saw it). With J’s new job there is a much better chance for promotions... I got him to agree that when he is making as much on his own as we are making combined right now, I can stop working! He said not to hold my breath because it’s not that small of an amount to make up... But at least I have my little glimmer - my silver lining...

Hey, a girl can dream, right???

I Really Should Be Sleeping

After being sick for most of last week and still feeling slightly less than 100%, you would think I would be sleeping... Unfortunately J is on call again. This means crazy work hours... He had to be at a job at midnight last night, he is at another one tonight, and has another tomorrow. Poor guy. Poor me too. I sleep like crap when he's not here...

It just throws off my routine and I am a serious creature of habit. I need my goodnight kiss, my goodnight snuggle, my husband close enough to reach out and touch. It relaxes me and helps me to shut my brain down and unwind. And I know that I am going to be exhausted at work tomorrow if I don't get to sleep...

Instead, I am laying here writing this rambling post on my phone and watching the minutes tick off the clock... Wondering when he will get home, praying that he gets back to me safely... With nothing but the cats (who are more than happy to steal his spot and stretch out), too much quiet, and an empty pillow next to me that smells like him...

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Wordless Wednesday - Off-road Fun

I am participating in Angry Julie Monday's Wordless Wednesday!

Things I Am Thinking About RIGHT Now - TGIF Edition

- If it weren't Friday today, I probably would call in "sick and tired" until the weekend showed up.

- I am PMS-y and seem to be constantly about two seconds away from crying.  All this has accomplished for me is a pounding headache and eyes that feel raw.

- I am awesome at my job (and not afraid to toot my own horn, thank you very much...).  I have been trying to get them to change my title ever since I first got placed in this position because I absolutely hate it.  (It has the word "secretary" in it. I find this word to be antiquated and a bad representation of what I actually do.) I do not do secretary-like duties... This has been a battle.

The woman sitting next to me that can't get any simple task done without a melt-down and taking at least 5 times as long as it should, who is rarely at her desk - and when she is, she is on personal phone calls arguing with her children - just got some responsibilities taken away (making her job easier because she already can't freaking handle it...) and got a title increase. The title increase that I have been busting my butt  and fighting for. Now, her getting that doesn't stop me from being able to get it too, but it's really disappointing. Apparently working hard and being really good at your job doesn't mean anything.  Be a screw-up and you'll get rewarded...

- I am meeting with my bosses on Monday to discuss the issue above. I e-mailed one of them immediately after her title change was announced. He is well aware that I am really not happy.

- There are ants in my office. Gross. I want them to go away. They crawl on my feet in the lunchroom and were swarming on my desk the other morning. I don't have anything they could have possibly been going after. I got to spend the first 45 minutes of my morning playing exterminator.

- Lighter notes:

- I still seriously love my phone!

- I am really excited to have my favorite shows back on!  House, Bones, Fringe, The Office, Good Guys!! I am giddy about it. :-) My dvr has a lot of work to do.

Umm... My brain doesn't want to play anymore...... haha I've run out of things to write down. But I feel slightly better having gotten it out :-)

Trying Something New

I got a new cell phone and am over-the-moon in love with it. We ended up getting the Samsung Fascinate. With it comes all the awesome-ness of internet access, app-tastic fun, and my favorite thing in the world - Swype Texting.

Now, I was pretty good at texting on my old paperweight of a phone, but Swype has made me a texting FIEND! If you have not experienced Swype, you should go online and look it up. You don't pick up your finger from the touch-screen keyboard while you are spelling out each word. They were able to crush the old texting speed record by some ridiculous amount of time. It's crazy. It definitely took some getting used to and if you don't know a qwerty keyboard very well, you might have a hard time... But I adore it.

In fact, the "trying something new" is in reference to the fact that I am doing this whole post on my phone , using Swype. I mainly wanted to see if it was going to be a big pain in the butt or if it would become a viable option for blogging away from my laptop... It's feeling pretty viable... Haha

I'm more curious to see if there are any weird formatting things once it is actually posted... So this is really a test post more than anything..

***Just a quick note - Samsung didn't give me anything... I just really really really love my new phone... Although if they really wanted to give me a Galaxy Tab when it comes out, I definitely wouldn't say no..... Haha***

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Back to Blogging: A Post Title You Are Particularly Proud Of

Today's task in the Back to Blogging event from SITS is to repost a post with a title you are particularly proud of.  It can be because it is sentimental or funny... Or just because.  I chose the following titled "Guy In A Van" because it is from back when I first was starting to blog and it kind of explains my randomness and further introduces me and the way I write sometimes...

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"Guy In A Van"


I have realized that, even with the few entries I have made so far in this blog, you can already see how my very odd thought process works… Or doesn’t… I guess it depends on how you look at it. I have a very short attention span and tend to jump from topic to topic randomly.

It’s okay though… I am used to it. It sometimes drives other people crazy, but what do I care? They aren’t living in my scattered brain constantly… They just have to visit when they are subjected to my ramblings and topic changes.

I kind of attribute a portion of it to the possible concussion I got several years back. I’m not saying that I wasn’t always like this… It just seems to have gotten worse since then. At least I’m not as slow as I was right after it happened. That would suck. But I am still stuck with a really odd inability to remember how streets that I have driven on for YEARS connect to each other. I will have to ask directions to places that I have been a million times. It’s really frustrating. And of course, I am stuck with a worse version of my lifelong random topic-hopping and tangents.

A small way that my randomness has always shown is my tendency to give really odd answers when people ask me things. Like the other day, I was at a store with my friends and I found a Tootsie Pop or Blow Pop or something that I had in my purse and was eating it. Someone eventually noticed and asked me where I got it. My response was the title of this post – “Guy in a van.” Or when I dyed my hair a new color and someone asked me, “What did you do to your hair?” My response was, “Got a perm.” Sometimes if I can’t think of anything funny fast enough when someone (standing in front of me) asks me what I am doing, I will steal a line from a TV show that I watched years ago and shoot, “Answering obvious questions.”

So if you read this, and are confused by the flow… Just sit back and go along for the ride.


Oh. And in case you were curious, the possible concussion was from something very stupid and clumsy (who, me?) that I did. I was taking a walk with Josh through the canyon where I used to live and decided it would be funny to climb part of the mountain. I got a foot or so off the ground when a piece of a rock (a BIG piece) broke off in my hand and hit me in the head. It also hit Josh’s arm, but where he was cursing in pain, I just dropped down from where I was without a sound and turned toward Josh. I was holding my head and – as I said, “I think I’m bleeding.” and pulled my hand away – blood started pouring down my face. Man, head wounds BLEED! Obviously, the walk was over. The whole way back I kept giggling about how the wind felt on my head and how the blood on my hand looked like paint. Yeah… Not good. It stopped bleeding pretty quickly, so I didn’t think anything of it and didn’t go to the doctor. But then I ended up having some pretty serious brain misfires and general space cadet-ness for a little while, so I’m pretty sure I had a concussion. Probably should have gone to the doctor. Oh well… What’s done is done, right?
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Back to Blogging: A Post I Wish More People Had Read

Today's task on the Back to Blogging event from SITS is to repost a post that you wish more people had read....  I chose this one because it's kind of a good "getting to know me" type post and it was really fun to write...

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Things I Love...


Ok.... I have done posts kind of like this before, so some of these may be repeats, but that’s all right, right? Because they are still things that I love...

Obvious ones...

- My husband – Our 5th anniversary is coming up next week! Where has the time gone?!?! We met right before my 19th birthday through friends, but didn’t start dating until about 3½ years later... We find a way to make each other laugh until our stomachs hurt pretty much constantly... Every day may not have been the same level of bright, sun-shiny happiness, but we just get each other and at the end of the day there is nowhere I would rather be than in his arms. And this year we have better plans than settling for Denny’s for dinner because it was quick and easy and we had had long weeks at work... Although it did make for a lot of fun telling people that that is what we did for our anniversary...

- My family – I have a BIG family and they are all awesome. My parents are such a great example of people who are just perfect for each other... I heard them bicker (I had to use “bicker” because “fight” or “argument” are way too strong for how silly it was) ONCE in my life and that was while they were working on a home improvement project and it had been a very long day and they disagreed on how best to start the next phase of putting in the wood floor... haha My siblings are all such strong people and are all incredible in their own way... We all may have had our differences when we were younger, but the older we get, the closer we all are. And my nieces and nephews are the smartest, funniest, more adorable group of kids you could ever find... If they are sad, it makes my heart hurt and when they are happy, you can’t help but be happy with them.

- My friends – They are like my family away from family... And since most of my family is not close by, some of their families have “adopted” me and treat me like their own kid... Especially my best friend, Kat, and her husband and family... We spend a lot of the holidays with them and spend pretty much every weekend with them. Plus, because of my friends, I get to go shopping to buy dresses for three weddings coming up... Two of them this month!

- My cats – they may drive me crazy sometimes and I may kind of a little bit sometimes wish in the back of my mind that they were the malamutes that we are going to get when they are no longer with us, but they are really cute and lovey... Especially my boy cat who greets us at the door and would let us kiss the fur right off of his face... Emily may meow a bit too much (understatement) and get in the way when we try to walk, but she still just loves to snuggle up on my lap and purr constantly...

- Jobs – Now, don’t get me wrong... If I didn’t have to work – I wouldn’t. But as it is, I am grateful that J and I both have jobs at a time when you hear every day about people getting laid off... And at a time when the company I work for is being dragged through the mud constantly... Even if his taking a job with a different company recently means that he doesn’t have any vacation time for six months, making it so we can really go anywhere and will miss out on family stuff...


Ok... enough seriousness......


Less obvious ones....

- Jammies – before I started working out every night, the first thing I would do when I got home from work was change into my jammies and relax. Now, I still get to them, it just takes a little longer...

- Harvey’s Seatbelt Bags – no surprise here... They are my favorite purses ever. I am still madly in love with my Lola and I get more compliments on it than any of my others... I call it my “Tomboy Bag” because it is so like me... Girly, but tough.

- Frozen Yogurt – my weakness has always been anything cold and sweet... Lately, though, it has zeroed in on Plain Tart Frozen Yogurt from Cherry On Top or Yogurtland. They have the best...

- Converse All Stars – I have been wearing these since I was 11. There is something sublime about how perfectly stiff the canvas is and how white the white parts are when they are brand new... The only annoying thing is that I have to order them from zappos or from the Converse website now because NO STORES carry half sizes... Ugh.

- Working out – I bet no one who knows me would ever expect to see this on here... And it’s not that I love working out really... It’s more that I love the weight I have lost, the extra confidence, and the beginnings of muscle tone that it has given me already... haha

- Massages – why, oh why did I wait so long to get a professional massage?? It was incredible. I will be getting many more...

- My IS 250 – Such a fun car. I had a plan to be really good about washing this one because it’s such a pretty color and you can’t really see that when it’s dirty... But rain and pollen have already made me want to throw up my hands and give up... As I said to Josh the day after I last washed it and came out to find it filthy already, “THIS is why I barely ever wash my cars!! It’s an exercise in futility!!!!!”

- Books – I love love love love love love love books. I always have. My bookshelves at home are once again loaded to what looks like their breaking point... I really need to replace my two 3-foot ones with two 6-foot ones... (To go with the two 6-foot ones that I already have...) I read and re-read over and over and over again... I just love curling up with a good book. I could spend hours in book stores looking through the stacks, discovering new books or authors... It’s the best.

- My DVR – I have said many times how happy I am to have a dvr. I no longer have to watch the filler on shows like American Idol... I can just get to the singing without having to listen to Randy say “Dawg” a million times... Or Kara ramble on and on... Or listen to the entire song if the person singing it is just seriously terrible and really shouldn’t have made it this far in the competition... It seriously only takes about 20 minutes to watch a 2-hour episode.

- My hair – It is really thick and shiny and soft and pretty... And it is my natural color (eep!) for the first time in YEARS. I miss the red sometimes, but I am getting more and more okay with my natural color as the sun adds back in my natural highlights...

- Music – I like pretty much anything if it’s good... Rock, Rap, Classical, Jazz, Pop... It’s all good... (I even like a teeny tiny bit of country.... Sometimes.)

- Target – I have been trying to be good about not spending so much time there... The cashiers at the one by my office used to know me by name. That’s when I knew I had a problem... But I still love that store. I love to just wander and look at everything...

- Video Games – I can’t help it... I love them. I always have my Nintendo DSi with me... And we have the Wii and the PS3 at home... It’s just a nice way to disconnect and give my brain a much-needed vacation... haha

- Bare Minerals make-up – This stuff is seriously awesome... So glad my “sister-from-another-mister”, Hazel, introduced me to it...

- Laughing – Totally and completely. Nothing is better than laughing so hard you cry and your stomach feels like it’s going to burst... Especially when it is about something so completely stupid that not every is laughing as hard as you... There are so many times that Kat and I are laughing uncontrollably and our husbands are staring at us like we are crazy, while trying to reign us in to finish whatever it was we were doing...

- Reeses’s Mini Peanut Butter Eggs – Seriously, YUM

- Johnson’s Lavender and Chamomile lotion... Smells SO good and makes my hands ridiculously soft. Even if it does have a stupid little blurb on the back instead of the usual description you would expect to find... “She approaches life with a quiet sense of calm. You instantly feel at peace in her presence. She loves this relaxing lavender and chamomile lotion because it does more than just moisturize.” It keeps going, but you get the picture.... So lame. Hahahaha

- Asian food – Chinese, Thai, Japanese... I love it.

- Dark Chocolate – Really good dark chocolate... So delicious.

- Orbit Sweet Mint Gum – this stuff is awesome. It tastes like those yummy after dinner mints... Mmm......

- Diet Coke – Yum. Just yum.

- Early Close Days – We don’t get these very often and lately it seems like we are too busy to even entertain the thought of leaving a second early, but when they happen, they are wonderful... I’ve always said the two easiest ways to boost morale around here is more jeans days and let people go home early once in a while...

- Sleeping in – I can’t help it... Some weekends I just love to see how long I can sleep... It’s so nice. And I know some day down the line when we have kids I will have to give it up... So I am enjoying the crap out of it while I can...

- When people I dislike get in trouble – ‘Nuff said.

Ok... I’m starting to stretch here... I mean, I had a run going there about food! I think this list is done for the time being....
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Back to Blogging: The First Post I Ever Wrote

I've decided that I could definitely use a little push with my blog here - I've been so busy lately that I haven't had a lot of time to write....  So I am jumping on board with SITS and their Back to Blogging event.  Today's prompt is to repost your very first post and then share your thoughts / feelings about it....  So here you go - the first ever post on Mental Garbage.

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Starting off...


How to begin? I just bought myself a really cute bronze laptop. I decided that, as a grown-up, I could finally start buying myself the things I have always wanted.

I had originally wanted this super-adorable red one. It was gorgeous and tiny. My darling husband was aggravating ;-) enough to point out to me that I would not be able to do all the things that I wanted to do if I got that one... It didn't have enough memory... It didn't have a big enough hard drive... It cost as much as a laptop that DID have all those things just because it was super-adorable and red. So I listened to him. He did have a point... I want to be able to do photo-editing and the little laptop wouldn't have been able to keep up with what I want to do... He is my voice of reason when my little impulse-buying alarms start going off. It was ridiculously cute though... check it out:

I loved almost everything about it - the pretty shade of red, the pretty Asian-style flowers... Right down to the absolutely enchanting color-matched red keyboard. But I would have had to have an external... EVERYTHING.

So I got a different one. And it's great.

But with it, I decided that it will now give me an easier way to start a blog. All my life I have tried and failed to keep journals/diaries/blogs/etc... I start off strong, but then quickly abandon them. I have so many little notebooks strewn around that are not even half full. It's kinda sad. Especially after reading on "stuffwhitepeoplelike.com" that one of the more recent was notebooks. They specified "moleskine notebooks," but I still feel sufficiently lame. So here I am. Trying once again to start something with full intention of continuing with it.

I guess only time will tell.
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So there we go.... I don't think I've really changed much from then... I still love my bronze laptop, still wish I could have that adorable little red one.... 

I guess my blog is still kind of a baby in some ways... But I have fun writing it and that's really what it's about for me...  Mental Garbage doesn't have a theme, it doesn't always have to make sense... It's my way of venting so that I don't explode or my way of sharing what's going on in my life. 

I remember how excited I was to get my FIRST follower.  And there are days where I will see new ones and get really silly excited still... Thank you to everyone that has been on board - I know I can be kind of a lazy blogger sometimes...  I don't think I will ever be a "post every day" kind of blogger.  I post when I need to or when I can and I hope you enjoy hanging out here!

Karma's A Cruel Mistress and I Am Honored.....

Years ago J was working for a company that - without warning - closed.  They didn't pay them their last paychecks even though California state law mandates that their first priority is to pay their employees at the time they close.  This never happened.  So J and his co-workers started a lawsuit against them to get what they were owed...

The people that owned the company gave them run-around, sent threatening letters, and tried to settle for extremely small amounts that weren't even the amounts of their last paychecks... Not to mention the fact that they were owed vacation time and some of them had personal expenses that were still owed to them.  And at that point, because of the lawsuit, they were owed a lot in penalties...

Nothing happened and nothing happened and nothing happened.

We got a letter today.

It's nearly the full amount - the full money owed plus some of the penalties....

You can't run from karma or the Franchise Tax Board.

Awesome!


Also - I was honored to see that I made the nomination list from the Second Annual “You’ve Just Been Spotted” Orange County Blog Awards." I'm in the Personal & Family Blogs category.  This is the category that represents the BEST personal/ family style blog in all of OC. By this, they mean the blogs that are on-line diaries, originally meant to be read by people’s personal family & friends. I don't expect to win after seeing the big guns that I am up against, but I am ridiculously happy to have even been nominated!

If you feel so inclined, I wouldn't hate for anyone that wants to to go on over and vote for me....  And while you're there, there are some great blogs to check out along the way - even if you aren't an OC resident....

House Remodel In Progress

Our roof is done!!! We officially have new fascia and a new roof!! Next up is new windows!!!!!

Here is the Tundra Stake Bed (not to be confused with Steak Bed... haha)

It was a BEAST.  We were able to get most of the shingles and all the REALLY long pieces of wood home in it.....

The front window and door with the fascia ripped off

More fascia ripped off....

All that crap burying my side walkway? My old roof.  It pretty much just crumbled when they scraped it off... It was in BAD shape....

The first bit of new fascia

All done!! No more damaged fascia - no more crappy roof!!

There's not really a good place to get a picture of the roof seeing as how I'm not 10 feet tall.... But you can see the edges of the brand new shingles.... haha Trust me, it's AWESOME.  I am so happy about it! :-) 

Holy crap.  I must really be a grown up.  I am way too excited about all of this.....  

Even so - as we get more done, I'll update....  Next is windows and paint inside..... I'm redoing both bathrooms... And maybe some in the kitchen and the master bedroom.............. I'm totally a grown up - I am SERIOUSLY geeking out about this all!!

Ten On Tuesday

Welcome to another Ten On Tuesday – hosted over at A Grande Life.  And here we go.....

1. I had jury duty yesterday. Long, tedious, and boring are good words to describe it. Fortunately, I wasn’t called to go into a court room. Unfortunately, that meant sitting in the juror waiting room for HOURS... Fortunately again, that meant I got a lot of reading done... Approximately 300 pages of reading, actually....

2. I have shingles on my roof! I am extremely excited about this. The first shingles were up yesterday and they made sure to put them on the side of the roof that I can see when I’m driving down the street when I get home. I may or may not have squealed really loudly and clapped my hands like a dork while still driving.....................

3. As much as home improvements suck – the dust, the cost, the fear that there will be freak rain storms flooding your house while you have no roof other than the plywood..... I am so excited to finally have the roof done! And next come WINDOWS!!!!!! I cannot wait!!

4. J was finally forced to chop up the tree in the backyard after it chopped itself down. We don’t know where this tree came from, we didn’t want it, and J had been saying that he would chop it down. Well, the other morning I was taking the trash out and saw that it had fallen over. All by itself!! So all he had to do was chop it apart. Now no more crappy weirdo tree! Now we can get the avocado and plum trees we want...

5. I never went to see the newest Twilight movie, so I am going to try to get to the $1 theater by my office to see it before it’s gone from the theaters completely...

6. The cell phone that we want is FINALLY being released for Verizon!! We are going to try to go pre-order them tonight!! (I may or may not have just squealed quietly and clapped my hands like a dork while sitting here at my desk....)

7. There are some big things that could be happening for J at work in the next six months or so!! I’m very excited! And it helps tame my green-eyed monster that reared its head when a friend that works with him just got a promotion...

8. I had to go run an errand for my boss this afternoon and really enjoyed flying down the road with my sunroof open and blasting Pink over the speakers... “So what? I’m still a rock star!”

9. I can’t wait for the new season of Dexter... It’s going to be weird to have to wait for episodes when I’m used to the dvd’s where I can watch mass quantities in a crazy marathon....

10. One of the normal people in my office is leaving. As she said herself, it’s bittersweet... She will definitely be missed, but she’s gonna rock at what she has coming. I wish I could be brave enough to make the changes she has and to dive in the deep end with them. Good luck, Es. You’re going to be awesome no matter what you do. Don’t forget us down here... Gonna miss working with ya, lady friend.

Go check her out here at http://www.restlessproduction.com/ or here http://restlessproduction.tumblr.com/

Odd Conversation

So we’re having our roof redone (yay!!) and we went with our contractor, G, last night to pick up all of the supplies at Home Depot. I was lucky enough to be able to take home the huge stake bed truck from my office to help be able to get everything home... I let J know – he let G know. This conversation (approximately... I didn’t record it or anything, but this is how I remember it...) took place on our way to grab a quick bite and head to get everything....

(Side note: Everything in this conversation was said completely seriously...)

J: It’s a good thing I double-checked the text about the truck that I was sending to G! I accidentally used the wrong kind of stake.

Me: That’s awesome! I kept double-checking every time I typed it today to make sure I didn’t call it the steak bed.

J: Mmmm... Steak Bed

Me: Of course that takes you to wanting a bed made of meat...

J: Well, yeah... Who doesn’t like steak?

Me: It’d be really messy. But probably pretty tender...

J: Well, yeah, if you tenderize it. And it would have to be cooked medium rare. Don’t want it to be too hard...

Me: Oh, I was thinking raw...

J: Yeah, that would be tender.

Me: But it would be really sticky... And messy.

J: And it would totally stink.

Me: (Indignant) Oh, like a COOKED meat bed wouldn’t stink??

J: Well, yeah, after a while... But until then think of the lovely dreams you would have while laying on the delicious smell of perfectly cooked steak...

Pause as the realization sets in that we have just had an entire conversation about having a bed made of steak.........

Me: I can guarantee no one has ever had this conversation before.


We’re a little on the odd side.....

Ten On Tuesday

I decided to participate in Ten On Tuesday over at A Grande Life.  Since I love lists (see # 10), this is right up my alley..... :-)

1. Our roof is being redone! FINALLY!! Our contractor is starting work today... I’m so excited. We’ve needed to get this done for a while now. J kept saying that he would do it because it would be so much cheaper, but he’s been saying that for about 5 years now... It’s not gonna be cheap, but we know the guy does really good work. And it will actually GET DONE! The only thing that has shocked me in all this is how much it costs to have Waste Management drop off a freaking dumpster! It’s ridiculous!!

2. After a lapse in my working out, I am not only back on track – I am now down a total of 18 pounds! Yay me!! Now I just need to stay on it... My weight will not rule my life forever!!!!!

3. I have decided to get an e-reader. Now I just have to make the decision of which one. It is down to the Kindle or the Sony. I know people that have both and everyone loves the one they have. The Sony is far more aesthetically (sweet! Spelled that right first try! Haha) pleasing. Plus it comes in red!!!!! BUT.... The Kindle has AMAZON behind it. How do you compete with that?? Plus the new one isn’t too bad... It actually looks kind of nice in the grey color... I’m so torn.

4. I think having my IS250 has made me a little snobby... We need to borrow a stake bed truck from my office (think gardener truck – but nicer) in order to help get all the stuff for the roof home from Home Depot... And I really don’t want to drive it................ Even just the 10 miles from work to home and back in the morning... I can’t help it.

5. I am dying for Glee, House, Bones, Dexter... All my fall favorites to come back... But I will be sad to see my summer shows go... I will miss True Blood.

6. I am being extremely well-behaved in my goal to read all the books I already have in a pile waiting to be read before I buy anymore... If I get my e-reader, that may go out the window... Or I may be disciplined enough to work on filling up the e-reader to get it ready for when I finish the stack...

7. It is so cold in my office right now that my nail beds look a little purple. Crazy! Time to turn on my heater I have hidden under my desk. I swear, the hotter it is outside, the colder it is in here!

8. This is the longest I have ever been able to keep my natural nails long and pretty... (Knock on wood - gently... Don't want to break a nail!) I was a serial nail-biter my whole life. Figured it was time to grow up... It still trips me out to have nails.

9. I need a week off. It’s been too long since I took more than a day off from work. (Other than the weekend – that doesn’t count...) I’m thinking that taking a mental health vacation sounds pretty freaking lovely right now.

10. I have lists everywhere... Stuff I need at the grocery store, books I want, To-Do Lists, funny websites... Post-its litter my life at work and home... :-)  I never remember things, so I have to write everything down...

Vivid Dreams

This week I was not planning on participating in Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop because I didn't really have anything good to write about.  Until last night, when I suddenly had something to write about for the prompt "This one time I was sleeping and…" My chest feels tight just thinking about it again....



So, I have always had very vivid dreams. I can go for months without remembering a dream, but then they come back. Usually with a vengeance... Last night was no exception.


I had a dream last night that I was in a plane crash.

I was on a plane – don’t know where I was going, why I was going there, or if I was with anyone – and I remember that I was woken up from a nap (I’m weird, I sleep in my dreams sometimes) on the plane by a slight jolt. I thought we were just starting to land, so I looked out my window.

We weren’t landing.

I watched as the plane pointed more and more directly at the ground. I remember there was water and land – it looked like a city, but I didn’t recognize it. Completely helpless, I turned and buried my face in the chair and braced my feet on the back of the chair in front of me. I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop it, so the best I could hope for was for it to be over quickly and not have to see what was happening. I was holding my breath as the pain and heat started from my feet up.

I woke up feeling like I was on fire. Even though we keep our house at 70 degrees at night and all I had covering me was a sheet. It took a little while of being completely uncovered and clinging desperately to my sleeping husband to soothe myself enough to sleep again...

And, of course, I did my childhood trick to make the bad dream stay away by rolling over and laying on the opposite side of how I was laying during the dream. It always seemed to snap me out of that dream and start a new one. If I stayed in the same spot and position, I could usually get right back into a dream again.

And I didn’t want to get back in that one.

Wordless Wednesday - Puppy Loves Camping Too

(Ok - almost wordless... It's my friend's puppy - not mine... And he is ADORABLE.)

This is my first time participating in “Angry Julie Monday’s Wordless Wednesday Linky”! It's easy to play along...  Just post a picture(s) that you took in the past week and link back to it here. Wordless Wednesday is a great day to post an awesome picture that “speaks” for itself, no words needed.

Picture Time

It's been a while since I pulled the pictures off of my digital camera, but I finally remembered to do it... So here you go :-)

This was my birthday dessert that they brought me at Gemmel's when we went there for my birthday... Like I said, I didn't think about the fact that I had my camera until after we destroyed it... It was so pretty - that little tower of sugar cubes in the background was on fire... It would have been a really cool picture... Oh well...

This was the final product of the supreme cakewreck that was our friends' wedding cake...

This past Saturday was a great food day... We went up to meet with family at my brother's place up in LA.  It was nice to see two of my sisters, a bunch of my nieces and nephews, and hang out with my brother and his wife and kids.  We all went to have lunch at Pink's.  I love their nacho cheese chili dogs. YUM.

Part of the crazy Pink's menu... Seriously - YUM.

One of my nephews and my brother waiting in line with us...  My baby sister is the one just over my brother's shoulder in the grayish blue shirt...

This is She-she (Shakira), their landlady's dog.  She hangs out at their house.  My sister-from-another-mister (sister-in-law) said that it's great - the fun of having a dog, but you get to send it home... :-)  She has a serious underbite and it cracks me up... haha  She's a really sweet dog.

When we left, we HAD TO stop at our favorite donut shop seeing as how we were in the area...  DK's is a chain, but this one is unique.  No other location has the donuts that this one has.  They are absolutely incredible.  I was only slightly crushed by the fact that they were all out of my favorite vanilla buttercream donut at the moment... The chocolate buttercream is good, but it's just not that same.......

My office does a backpack drive every year for a local charity.  I did a boy one and a girl one.  I absolutely loved the binder that I got for the girl one... I love butterflies...  And as if doing something good wasn't enough incentive - I now get to wear jeans for the rest of the month just for doing something I do every year anyway...  And I love me some jeans days at work... :-)

And last, but definitely not least.... Say hello to my lil friend!!!

My new RED Lola baguette!!! I absolutely 100% heart Harvey's Seatbelt Bags.  No surprise there... I've talked about it a few times... Yeah... haha  It's definitely an obsession. You can see her big sister behind her on the left......  LOOOOLA! La la la-la Lo-o-la! 

So... yeah... There you go. Oh! And apparently there is definitely nothing broken in my hand.  It still hurts a bit, but it seems to be getting better. It doesn't hurt to type anymore, which is awesome...

And... I'm going camping this weekend!! Pismo, here we come!