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Friday, September 30, 2011

Happiest Place on Earth Day 1

I'm baaaaaaack!! And oh boy what a week it has been!! Let me bore tell you about it:

We left Saturday night for Seattle around 6pm. We got to security and like usual my father had some...issues going thru security...he always 'forgets' to empty his pockets, take off his belt, etc...so he and my mom got chosen to go through the xray body scan machine and afterward my dad had to have a full body search because he forgot to take his contact case out of his pocket. He made a new friend that night.

Anywho our flight to Atlanta left at 11pm and not one seat was empty on that plane. who would have thunk that many people would fly there in the night?! We landed around 3:45am our time or 6:45 their time. We slept very little. We had about a 20 minute wait until our Orlando flight. Once in Orlando, we found our driver who took us to the Boardwalk Resort in a stretch SUV limo...holllla. It's how we do. (I should mention that this was paid 100% for by my parents company who honors all their 20yr staff with a big trip to DisneyWorld. They paid for flights, food, hotel, limo, and a special after hours park rental for the employee and his/her family. We kept joking that if it was a trip we were paying for we would be staying at a budget hotel 30 miles south of the park and we would be eating whatever we could find for cheap at the grocery store...)


So we decided that even though we all got minimal sleep the night before that we would check into our hotel, shower then go over to Epcot for the day. Epcot was pretty fun. Our hotel has a boat launch right outside on the boardwalk and it's about a five minute ride to that park.
We spent the day there and walked around to lots of different countries. My favorite rides were Soarin', and the Scandinavian boat ride. That day we ate lunch at some big place that had lots of different options for people and for dinner we went on over to Japan for some delicious food. They had the best salad dressing I've ever eaten in my liiife there.

Then we were SUPER hot and super tired so we went back to our hotel. I took a small nap and when I woke up my mom said my dad had left to go to Magic Kingdom to walk around without us since we were all sleeping. I was soooo bummed but oh well.

Next we will talk about day 2. But I can't sit here at the computer anymore, I'm too ADD.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Whaddddya Doing?

There seems to be a lot going on lately, which is good... I have lots of photoshoots set up and scheduled (which is the same thing?) so I'm excited for that. Here are a few random peeks into my life the last week or so. In no particular order:
Shelley thinks Ty's coming home September 20th..which was yesterday. He didn't, he hit his one year mark a few weeks ago but she doesn't understand the meaning of 2 years. So she made him a cardboard sign, homeless person style, and sat with it all afternoon waiting for Ty to come home. Sad but kind of funny too. I explained to her several times that he would be home in a year so she's saved her sign for then.

I've been knitting a lot again which I love. It's not really a summer activity but now that's it's cooled down and there's no more sun :( I started up again. These are just a few real simple baby cocoons from the pattern I made up a few years ago. They are super simple which is good because I can knit it and not have to concentrate on what I'm doing. They only take an hour or two to make if I put my mind to it. I'm trying to build my collection for baby photography and I might start selling them...? I dunno that ANYONE would ever buy one but maybe they would?! I guess since I offered my 'pattern' for free they can make their own :D.
 I couldn't put off packing any longer. So yesterday I got some of my toiletries ready for our trip to here:
we leave on SATURDAY!! We'll be flying all night and land early Sunday morning (well Florida time it won't be that early). Seriously cannnnnot wait. I'm most excited for Tower of terror and Splash mountain...and lets not kid ourselves, Pineapple Dole whip is the MAIN attraction for me :D. KIDDING. Kind of. If i can figure out a way to transport gallons of that stuff home, you better believe I will. It would make excellent food storage.
Monday night I went with my friend Nicole to a FHE with her ward. I'm not a social person and I'm just way too awkward to hang out with strangers but I managed to Lamaze breath my way through...not literally but internally I was heeee-heee-hoooing the whole time. I'm so dramatic. It wasn't that bad.
well just turn your head cuz I'm too lazy to change this picture. I've also been busy with Church stuff. I make it more difficult than it needs/should be. This was my handout for my lesson on Sunday, our lesson was on scripture study and our activity tonight relates too. I gotta get stuff for tonight ready too...shoot I need to stop blogging and get started on that.

I've also been working lots Mondays and Tuesdays are my crazy 2 shift days (3 if you count shelley which technically is my other job). But I don't mind it very much, it's actually nice to have an excuse to knit/read in the evenings since there's not much else to do.

Anywho, I doubt I'll blog before I leave or while I'm gone because duh, I'll be busy. But fear not (ha) I will be back with a vengeance and boat load of pictures when I return from my travels.

P.S. Watch this, it will make you strong.
Just do it.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Art thou fither thither?

I am obessssssed. With what you ask? Oh well let me tell you...Jane Freaking Eyre. It's a book by Charlotte Bronte and it's one of the best books I've ever read in my whole ding dong life. I don't fancy myself a very fancy person ... ignore that sentence...but there is something so transforming and transfixing about how people talked back in 'the day'. I oft think I was born into the wrong century but that's besides the point. While reading this book, sometimes I have to reread sentences and slow my brain down to try to understand what they are saying but that's ok.

I have been speaking with my '1800's' words for the last several days and everyone is rather perturbed with me at the present. I thinkit not fair to criticize whilst I'm acting on whim and impulse betterfore my nature...

I have no idea what I just typed there but it happened. Sorry.

You can stop reading now because believe, me, I AM going to continue this blog whether thou likest or not.

One of my favorite parts of the whoooole book is when Mr. Rochester disguises himself as a gypsy woman and tricks Jane and his house guests. Here is a quote direct from the book:

"You did not act the character of a gipsy with me."
"What character did I act? My own?"
"No; some unaccountable one. In short, I believe you have been trying to draw me out-or in; you have been talking nonsense to make me talk nonsense. It is scarcely fair, sir."
"Do you forgive me, Jane?"
"I cannot tell till I have thought it all over. If, on reflection, I find I have fallen into no great absurdity, I shall try to forgive you; but it was not right.'
"Oh you have been very correct-very careful, very sensible."

There are many more favorite parts but I won't bog you down with them at the present. Perhaps at a latter date.

I read the book (700 some odd pages) in a few days and afterforth I've watched the new 2011 movie,
 It was weiiird and I think I could make a better version but it satisfied my need to see the movie...well I guess it didn't because today I watched this version:
from 1996---I apologize for the photos and their poses, there weren't many to chose from.

Now I have plans to watch 2 other versions over the course of a fortenight.
Ideally, I wish there was a way to switch the actors around, use the Jane from 1996 with the Mr. Rochester from 2011...that would be well with me. Also I wish they would just stick to the book and NOT veer off into events/sequences that didn't happen. Oy vey.

I've been casting my own version in my head...so watch for it coming to a theater near YOU. It might involve either: 

 jason bateman or
pat monahan from Train fame (he just seems a little cookoo like I picture Mr. R as being) as Mr. Rochester. Although the guy who was in the 2011 version was really good...they just need another girl maybe. We're in talks with them to see who will be up for the part :D

I will admit, I read the book on my kindle because it was FREE...ya I didn't think I'd like it bahaha scorn thee my insolent brain, I now knowest better of my faults.

oh gosh I'm annoying myself.

and talking to myself.

I will also make Bertha Mason muuuuch scarier and involve Mrs. Poole more.

I need to buy the actual book and a highlighter so I can mark up all my favorite parts. I am seriously going to reread it soon even though I just finished. I can't get it out of my miiiind. I'm a lunatic. wink wink.


I also don't hate the clothes. I love the big dresses and what the guys' used to wear. Why can't we revert back to that instead of the too short shorts and barely there clothes so prevalent now days?!

Alas, I must be off. I shall be leaving for work in an hours time and I must prepare for my passage and travels. If you've never read Jane Eyre, read it. You can download it for free from anywhere and read it, or there's something called a library...just do it. you won't regret it.

And just as a side note, my new life dream is to become a governess so Emily, if you're reading this, I'm totes down for it. Although i just used the word totes so I might be a bad influence on your kids ;). I shall put out an ad-vert-iz-ement posthaste to start my new lifes work.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Moving like Jagger on Jupiter

Last night I went to Abbotsford, BC to see these bands:
Matt Nathanson,
he sings songs like "Come on Get Higher", "Modern Love", "Faster". He's a really good singer, I like him but he wasn't the reason we were there. I always feel bad for the openers because they KNOW that everyone isn't there to see THEM. That would be sad. But everyone seemed to enjoy him. Unfortunately he suffers from what I've named, "Jello Leg, noodle leg syndrome" he couldn't seem to keep his legs from doing weird things.

These guys were one of the main reasons I went:
Train, featuring Howie Mandel...just kidding. But seriously the lead guitarist from Train looks just like him right?! I've seen Train in concert before and I love them. They are so personable and funny. Plus, they sound just as good (if not better) live. He brought a bunch of girls from the audience up and he was signing items and throwing them into the crowd the whole night. At one point during "Marry Me" he went out into the audience and walked through us...he was RIGHT NEXT TO US. my mom reached out and touched him but I refrained...plus I was taping it. Here's a video clip:
It was pretty legit. We were sitting in a back section but the arena was pretty small so it wasn't too far away at all, but it was still cool that he came back so we could see him closer.
He's a little flamboyant but I guess that's what famous people are. I loved the fact that they played from their old albums, those are the songs I grew up listening too, Meet Virginia, Drops of Jupiter, Calling all Angels etc... They also played some of my favorites from their newest album, Words, Marry Me, If It's Love etc...I don't like their 'popular' current songs as much as I used to because they are much overplayed.

 I digress. The other band that was there:
Hecccck yes. I was a big fan of their first 2 albums. Now days I'm not a huge fan but I still think they are very talented and they have some catchy songs. All three of these bands/singers were so good live and that made the whole concert wonderful. I would go see them all again. I took lots of videos of their songs but it's too weird to figure out how to upload them so I'll spare you.

Just thought I'd share my night with ya'll, I'm sure you care a lot :D

Friday, September 2, 2011

Crazy for Pantyhose!!

(or as sam called it, panty ho's...I corrected him)

Whaddya do with a tube of 20 cent panty hose (that you initially bought to make baby headbands), a couple pounds of fresh orchard (free!) apples, a blender, and a vase?

Well the question should be what CAN'T you do with those things, but I digress...


I got a wild hair tonight after being home sick all day and pinning 5 different apple cider recipes on Pinterest. I youtubed how to make your own apple cider without an apple press because not everyone has one of those. This kinda crazy guy that I almost wrote off and wanted to stop his video caught my interest. Luckily he did. He gave me the tools and knowledge that would satisfy my apple cider craving in a jiffy (well or maybe an hour).

If you'd like to partake in the pantyhose apple cider phenomenon you've come to the right place. Now maybe this is an old tradition and has been around for many years but I'd never heard of it.
Here's the video I got the idea from:
it's a 7+ minute video but once I saw where he was going, I fast forwarded to the end :D I'm just ADD like that. I'll show you in pictures the steps I used. I apologize for the phone pictures in advance.
Gather your supplies: GOOD blender, vase...preferably your mothers favorite china :D I kidd, washed apples (note I used more than are pictured), knife, cutting board, and 20 cent knee high pantyhose. I happened to have white on hand for another project.

Core and chop yer apples...don't peel them, but cut out any bad spots. I cut them into quarters then into thirds but I didn't need too. this part goes quickly if you have a 15 year old brother who wants to help.
fill up your blender to the top and add a few inches of water. the more water you add, the farther your apples will go and the more cider you'll make, but it will also make the final product watery. But honestly now that's it's done I think I'm gonna add more water too it, it's very apple-y.
blend those suckers in your fancy blendtec or whatever blender you happen to have.
mine has a whole juice option that I used. It blends it for 50 seconds but I stopped mine with 20 seconds left because it was done.
put your pantyhose around the vase and pour half of the (white) cider into it. It will turn brown quickly because that's what apples do but it's ok.
this part is kinda nasty and I almost lost my lunch..oh wait I didn't eat lunch..oh gosh I am related to my grandmother...pull the pantyhose up and use your fingers to squish all the juice down. At this point I decided I needed a larger vessel.
It will make weird sucking noises and it will totally gross you out but, march on.
now squeeeeze all that juice out of that nylon. How is it that when one makes apple cider and abuses that poor piece of nylon that it doesn't BREAK or RIP? but as soon as I try to put them on on Sunday, there are instant holes?! Will wonders never cease? You should get quite a bit of liquid out of each squeezing, keep going until it's dry and no longer juicy.

Warning, the following image is disturbing and disgusting, the faint of heart/stomach should look away now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is what the pulp of the juice looks like after squeezing....sick right? I said it looked like refried beans, sam had other options as to what it looked like...but I'll spare you. Throw that away or put it in your compost bucket. Once it's all out, rinse the hose well and wring out, flip right side out and  you're ready for batch 2. I made ALL the cider with ONE leg of panty hose so guess who still has one for baby headbands? HOLLLLA

Repeat this process until you have used up all your apples. The beauty of this is you can make as little or as much as you want without being swarmed by bees outside. Once you get a system down it goes quickly. We have an apple orchard down the road from my house that NOBODY picks so we picked a bunch the other day and I made applesauce with most of them and cider with the rest. I went back yesterday and 'gleaned' with a friend from work, we gathered A LOT more apples/pears/plums/blueberries etc...and a lot of it will be donated to the food bank. So no more rotten going to waste apples around here!!
at the end, you'll have some delicious, fresh, free, healthy apple cider that you can then drink, make into hot cider (YUM) or make into apple cider vinegar by leaving it out. You can freeze this, refrigerate it, can it, drink it, bathe in it...whatever you fancy, I won't judge. I don't know exactly how many apples we used prolly 20-30ish medium apples so we got about the same amount (or more?) than you would using an apple press!!

Now go, gather your pantyhose and apples!!

On the plus side, you'll have some lovely now tan colored knee highs to wear to church sunday :D Kiddddding!!

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