Posts
Merry Christmas bloggies! Wishing you and yours the very best!
Holiday Hugs,
Arielle
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
i heart you Brett Erlich
Speaking of being a fangirl...I am a total Brett Erlich fangirl. He makes my heart sing. He makes everything in this crazy messed up world right again. It's like he can see into my soul, he gets me....lol.
Who is this Brett Erlich you ask? Only the hottest, most funniest guy on the planet! Well next to my husband that is. Ironically, he kind of looks like Brett. Hmmm...maybe I do have a type...lol.
On a side note, Brett is my celebrity cheat (If you're married and you haven't established your celebrity cheat yet, get on it my friend. Chances of meeting up are slim, but, hey, you never know!)...so Brett, if you're reading this I have a free pass. Call me!
He hosts the show Viral Video Film School on Current TV. (Digital Channel 900 for all you Hawaii peeps. For you Mainlanders, sorry I have no idea what channel that is.) It is the funniest show that I have ever seen. Mostly due to his hosting abilities, personality, and dashing good looks, but the crazy stuff that people post on the internet helps too.
Here's my favorite episode, Best of VVFS: The Wilderness. It's about 20 minutes long, but it'll be the best 20 minutes of your life. I know this, it is true...lol.
Oh Brett, how I love you...
Who is this Brett Erlich you ask? Only the hottest, most funniest guy on the planet! Well next to my husband that is. Ironically, he kind of looks like Brett. Hmmm...maybe I do have a type...lol.
On a side note, Brett is my celebrity cheat (If you're married and you haven't established your celebrity cheat yet, get on it my friend. Chances of meeting up are slim, but, hey, you never know!)...so Brett, if you're reading this I have a free pass. Call me!
He hosts the show Viral Video Film School on Current TV. (Digital Channel 900 for all you Hawaii peeps. For you Mainlanders, sorry I have no idea what channel that is.) It is the funniest show that I have ever seen. Mostly due to his hosting abilities, personality, and dashing good looks, but the crazy stuff that people post on the internet helps too.
Here's my favorite episode, Best of VVFS: The Wilderness. It's about 20 minutes long, but it'll be the best 20 minutes of your life. I know this, it is true...lol.
Oh Brett, how I love you...
Tech Humor
If you are a Google fangirl like me then you've probably already seen this, but if not I thought I'd spread the laughter.
Teach Parents Tech is a website launched by Google which lets you customize a message to your parents with a video that teaches them various tech lessons, such as "Making text bigger or smaller", "Browsing the web using tabs", and even how to "Share photos". It's a total crack up...now if only my parents weren't tech savvy. Well, honestly, my Mom really isn't, but she barely knows how to navigate her email inbox. If I sent her a video file, she'd probably freak out and have a heart attack. So I decided against it. (Hi Mom! I'm your favorite daughter, remember? Lol...love you.)
Here's what the message looks like:
Hello Dad,
I'm really shocked that you've been using your computer these days.
It just so happens that I put together this tech support care package for you. I picked out some videos that you can use to learn how to:
Teach Parents Tech is a website launched by Google which lets you customize a message to your parents with a video that teaches them various tech lessons, such as "Making text bigger or smaller", "Browsing the web using tabs", and even how to "Share photos". It's a total crack up...now if only my parents weren't tech savvy. Well, honestly, my Mom really isn't, but she barely knows how to navigate her email inbox. If I sent her a video file, she'd probably freak out and have a heart attack. So I decided against it. (Hi Mom! I'm your favorite daughter, remember? Lol...love you.)
Here's what the message looks like:
Hello Dad,
I'm really shocked that you've been using your computer these days.
It just so happens that I put together this tech support care package for you. I picked out some videos that you can use to learn how to:
Hope you find these helpful! Now, I trust you'll be self sufficient.
Love, Arielle
Too funny, right? Send one out to everyone you know...you know you want to. :)
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Only nine more days...
Nine more days people! Santa is on his way. (I know him! Elf reference...anyone, anyone? Just me? Okay...lol.)
Just in case the holidays are bogging you down, here's a little video to distract you for a bit...
Ding fries are dooooonnnnneeee!
Be joyous! Just think only nine more days and the holiday rush will pretty much be over. Don't worry, you'll survive...or at least that's what I tell myself.
Happy almost Friday y'all!
Just in case the holidays are bogging you down, here's a little video to distract you for a bit...
Ding fries are dooooonnnnneeee!
Be joyous! Just think only nine more days and the holiday rush will pretty much be over. Don't worry, you'll survive...or at least that's what I tell myself.
Happy almost Friday y'all!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Christmas, Christmas time is here...
Where has all my leisure time gone? It seems like once the calendar read December all my leisure time has disappeared. What have I been doing you ask? Well besides not blogging as much as I'd like to (Sorry my dears. I'll be posting more soon, so don't worry.), I've been shopping for gifts (All the Kailua Macy's employees can attest to this. As I've been there multiple times in the past few days...lol.), working on getting my Christmas cards out (Which still aren't done. New Years cards anyone?), and trying to get all of my Christmas crafting out of the way. I still have to make Christmas cookies and candy for the annual family Christmas party this weekend! I'm dying. Having fun, but dying...lol.
You know it's bad when you start dreaming about the dimensions and color choice of you latest craft project...lol. Here's what I've been working on...
My husband and I gave away a variation of this last Christmas and his co-worker loved them. So he asked me to make him some to give out as Christmas gifts this year. He wanted to be able to give a gift card with it and that was what I came up with. Here's one of the finished ones for him...
I'm happy with the results. What do you think?
You know it's bad when you start dreaming about the dimensions and color choice of you latest craft project...lol. Here's what I've been working on...
Pretty nifty, huh? They're pockets that slip over a wine bottle and hold a chocolate bar and wait for it...
A gift card!
My husband and I gave away a variation of this last Christmas and his co-worker loved them. So he asked me to make him some to give out as Christmas gifts this year. He wanted to be able to give a gift card with it and that was what I came up with. Here's one of the finished ones for him...
Yes the main card stock is black. He wanted them to match his Christmas cards, which are black, green, red, and white. The color combo turned out a lot better than I had first envisioned. I actually really like it.
I'm happy with the results. What do you think?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Birthday, birthday, birthday!
Having my birthday in late November is both a blessing and a burden. Many times it lands on Black Friday, the biggest, most crazy shopping day of the year, which equals a blessing because I love to shop. Thus, it gives me the perfect excuse to go stand in crazy long lines with hordes of people for a fantastic sale and not seem so crazy because it's my birthday and I do what I like...lol. Other years it lands on Thanksgiving Day, which equals a burden because I still have to work and do dishes and what not even though it's my birthday. Junkie, but I deal...by celebrating my birthday the whole week long. Hey, I get gypped on the actual day, so a little extra celebration won't kill anyone!
This year it just so happened to land on Black Friday. The heavens opened, angels sang, the whole works. Hey, it is my birthday! :)
My Mom and I went out shopping, naturally, at the ungodly hour of 7:30am...I know, I claim temporary insanity. The first and really only store that I wanted to hit up was Eden in Love. They are a cute little boutique store over at Ward Warehouse owned by Ms. Tanna Dang, The Wedding Cafe diva. They usually have cute little dresses and such and I was on the hunt for a short flower print dress to wear with my new boots (pictures to come, rest assured.). Plus they were offering 40% off! They were supposed to open at 9am, in the conference room above their store, and I figured getting there at 8am would be more than enough time to stand in line. Boy was I wrong. I had no idea that the store had such a strong following...the line was huge. I swear people must have started waiting in line at like 6am, that's how long the line was. I figured no problem. People wanted to be in and out just like I wanted, right? Wrong again. My mom and I waited in line until 10:30am when we were finally let into the door and greeted by this...
Craziness and mayhem that is what that is. The line to pay for your items circled the room two times. Yes, that is right, TWO times! I looked around and grabbed a few dresses, there were no flower print ones to be found. I looked at the dresses in my hand, then at the hour and a half line to wait in to pay, and then at all the other women around me, many of whom had the same dresses or similar ones in their hand, and I decided that we needed to high tail it out of there as fast as we could. To me the whole point of boutique shopping is to get something that no one else has. Don't get me wrong, the dresses and things that they sell in that store are cute, cute, cute, but if I'm going to spend $50 on a dress I better not show up to the party and see three other women wearing the same dress. Total wardrobe foul, if you know what I mean.
We still got stamped with the 40% off on our hands, so in a last effort to save all of our time waiting in line we headed downstairs to their actual store. There was no line and I actually liked the stuff there better than the new items that they were offering upstairs. I got to try things on in the dressing room and take my time. I ended up buying a flirty animal print tube top (I love animal print. I know that kind of makes me sound like a douche, but I totally love it. I rock the animal print like nobody's business!), a belt, and a bottle of nail polish all for 40% off. Score! The only bummer was that I probably could have saved myself the two hours in line by having gone to the store first. If only I knew then what I know now, huh? At least it wasn't a total wash.
We hit up a few more stores and then headed home so that I could meet up with friends for happy hour at Formaggios in Kailua. (Happy hour there is everyday from 3-6pm. Who can resist a $4 glass of wine or a $5 cocktail? Plus their tapas are amazing and they are only $6!) It wouldn't be a birthday without wine and yummy food from Formaggios!
Outfit for the occasion...
Eight Sixty dress in blue leopard print. Had my eye on it since it was at Nordstrom and I actually found it that day while shopping at Nordstrom Rack. I know! What are the odds? The birthday gods were smiling upon me.
We had a few drinks and ate a bunch of food (Courtesy of my long-time friend Nathan, since he wouldn't let my husband pick up the bill. Thanks Nate! We're going to get you next time and I don't want to hear any argument! I'm leaving my card with the waitress as soon as I sit down, so I won't be had again...lol.). Then Alisha, from Formaggios, brought us out three desserts to celebrate my birthday. Guava berry cheesecake, Tiramisu, and Chocolate Souffle. Yum, yum, and yummier. I'd recommend them all. Thanks Alisha for making my birthday so sweet!
After Formaggios, the night was still young. So we held the after party at my parent's house where we spent the evening playing Kinect on my brother's XBOX 360. That is, for sure, going to be the holiday gift of the season! For those of you non-gamers, it's a 3D camera with an inferred light that tracks your body movements so you don't have to use a controller to play games. It was really fun, but a total workout! (I don't recommend playing in a dress...lol.) You are moving and jumping all over the room...good thing I never made it to the gym that day.
Thank you to all who helped me celebrate and all who wished me well! I had a blast! Until next year...
This year it just so happened to land on Black Friday. The heavens opened, angels sang, the whole works. Hey, it is my birthday! :)
My Mom and I went out shopping, naturally, at the ungodly hour of 7:30am...I know, I claim temporary insanity. The first and really only store that I wanted to hit up was Eden in Love. They are a cute little boutique store over at Ward Warehouse owned by Ms. Tanna Dang, The Wedding Cafe diva. They usually have cute little dresses and such and I was on the hunt for a short flower print dress to wear with my new boots (pictures to come, rest assured.). Plus they were offering 40% off! They were supposed to open at 9am, in the conference room above their store, and I figured getting there at 8am would be more than enough time to stand in line. Boy was I wrong. I had no idea that the store had such a strong following...the line was huge. I swear people must have started waiting in line at like 6am, that's how long the line was. I figured no problem. People wanted to be in and out just like I wanted, right? Wrong again. My mom and I waited in line until 10:30am when we were finally let into the door and greeted by this...
We still got stamped with the 40% off on our hands, so in a last effort to save all of our time waiting in line we headed downstairs to their actual store. There was no line and I actually liked the stuff there better than the new items that they were offering upstairs. I got to try things on in the dressing room and take my time. I ended up buying a flirty animal print tube top (I love animal print. I know that kind of makes me sound like a douche, but I totally love it. I rock the animal print like nobody's business!), a belt, and a bottle of nail polish all for 40% off. Score! The only bummer was that I probably could have saved myself the two hours in line by having gone to the store first. If only I knew then what I know now, huh? At least it wasn't a total wash.
We hit up a few more stores and then headed home so that I could meet up with friends for happy hour at Formaggios in Kailua. (Happy hour there is everyday from 3-6pm. Who can resist a $4 glass of wine or a $5 cocktail? Plus their tapas are amazing and they are only $6!) It wouldn't be a birthday without wine and yummy food from Formaggios!
Outfit for the occasion...
Steve Madden sling backs in black. My go-to shoes for punk rocker-ish outfits.
The bling. My new bow ring that my husband gave me for my birthday. I LOVE IT! I want to wear it all the time.
Note: If you want one you need to order it online at Macys.com because this was the only one left on the island...I checked. Not because I wanted to be the only one with one, but because I really wanted it and saw it at only one Macy's. They were having a sale (story of my life...lol.) so I called around and had them put it on hold. Then I sent my husband to get it...lol. It totally counts as a birthday present from him if he buys it.
We had a few drinks and ate a bunch of food (Courtesy of my long-time friend Nathan, since he wouldn't let my husband pick up the bill. Thanks Nate! We're going to get you next time and I don't want to hear any argument! I'm leaving my card with the waitress as soon as I sit down, so I won't be had again...lol.). Then Alisha, from Formaggios, brought us out three desserts to celebrate my birthday. Guava berry cheesecake, Tiramisu, and Chocolate Souffle. Yum, yum, and yummier. I'd recommend them all. Thanks Alisha for making my birthday so sweet!
After Formaggios, the night was still young. So we held the after party at my parent's house where we spent the evening playing Kinect on my brother's XBOX 360. That is, for sure, going to be the holiday gift of the season! For those of you non-gamers, it's a 3D camera with an inferred light that tracks your body movements so you don't have to use a controller to play games. It was really fun, but a total workout! (I don't recommend playing in a dress...lol.) You are moving and jumping all over the room...good thing I never made it to the gym that day.
Thank you to all who helped me celebrate and all who wished me well! I had a blast! Until next year...
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Time for some tree trimming fun!
I know that I should be telling you all about the great adventures that I had on my birthday and I will I promise, but I just couldn't wait to post about my Christmas tree! Did I mention that I love Christmas? It's my favorite time of year. The weather starts to get a little bit colder, which gives you the excuse to drink hot chocolate or holiday flavored coffee drinks from Starbucks pretty much guilt free. (Ironically the weather here in Hawaii has not been getting much colder or much rainier yet. Usually the rainy weather starts around mid-October, but so far nothing much has happened weather-wise since summer time. Is it just me or does global warming seem to be coming sooner rather than later?) You get to bake holiday cookies for friends and neighbors, which means someone has to taste them...just to be sure that they are up to par. Also, you can shop as much as you want with the excuse "I'm just getting all of my holiday gift shopping out of the way." Who's going to notice the 5 pairs of shoes that you bought for yourself? No one when it's mixed in with all of your other holiday purchases that is. What's not to love?
So to kick us off in real holiday style, please start humming the tune to jingle bells while you read this post...lol. Actually my favorite Christmas song is "I'll be home for Christmas" sung by Mr. Bing Crosby. What can I say? I'm a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas music. Sure I love Mariah's "All I want for Christmas is You", but "White Christmas" by Bing is my go to album for good old fashioned Christmas fun.
Anyways...here's our tree this year.
When my husband I first started dating, all those long years ago, we started the tradition of buying each other a Christmas ornament each year in the hopes that one day when we got our own tree to decorate that we'd have some special ornaments to start us off. Awww...I know. We're super sappy that way...lol.
Here are a few of my favorites...
A purse with wings. There's just something so whimsical about this one. My mom gave me this one...maybe that's part of the reason that I love it so much.
So to kick us off in real holiday style, please start humming the tune to jingle bells while you read this post...lol. Actually my favorite Christmas song is "I'll be home for Christmas" sung by Mr. Bing Crosby. What can I say? I'm a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas music. Sure I love Mariah's "All I want for Christmas is You", but "White Christmas" by Bing is my go to album for good old fashioned Christmas fun.
For your listening pleasure. :)
My husband set up the Christmas tree as a birthday surprise for me, but we didn't get the chance to decorate it until last night. On my way home from work I ran to the store and bought some egg nog to get us in the spirit, because how can you decorate the tree without egg nog? Personally, egg nog is not my favorite, but my husband really likes it. It's not Christmas to him without egg nog, therefore I buy the egg nog. It was the least I could do, since he put up the whole 6' tree, lights and all, by himself. Nevermind that the lights are already attached to our tree...lol.
Anyways...here's our tree this year.
What do you think? I'm thinking maybe some floral wrapper needs to be added...though that would require taking some of the ornaments off to put it on and then putting them back. My husband will be none too pleased with that scenario...
Here's the wide shot of our living room. It's clean! I know, a miracle happened. It stayed clean just long enough to take this picture...lol.
When my husband I first started dating, all those long years ago, we started the tradition of buying each other a Christmas ornament each year in the hopes that one day when we got our own tree to decorate that we'd have some special ornaments to start us off. Awww...I know. We're super sappy that way...lol.
Here are a few of my favorites...
WALL-E
EVE. Both of which are kids toys that my husband fashioned into Christmas ornaments because they didn't have a Christmas ornament out yet.
I bought this one when I still worked at Ben Franklin. I thought it would be something cool to have when we have kids of our own...some day. The plaque reads:
Santa's Magic Key
Our stockings hung upon a wall.
We have no fireplace at all!
You see the problem is quite clear,
Santa, how will you get in here?
We heard a legend. Is it true?
Of magic only you can do.
We'll leave out any plain old key,
and mark it "Santa" so you can see.
Your magic makes the key fit right,
so you can get inside that night.
Thank you Santa, here's our key.
The milk and cookies are on me!
These are a few that I hand-sewed a couple of years back. I love felt ornaments. They feel old and nostalgic to me, like they are from another time in history.
Now that you've seen my holiday decore, what does yours look like? Are you the "do it up big" or "holiday minimalist" type? Inquiring minds want to know!
Happy Holidays from my family to yours!
Friday, November 26, 2010
The top ten reasons you love me so...aka it's my birthday!
It's my birthday today and I'm feeling a little silly....so here are my top ten reasons why you love me.
Reason #10: If the mood strikes me, I will jump up and down through the aisles of the grocery store. Sometimes, if the store isn't too busy, my husband will jump with me, but don't tell him that I told you that.
Reason #9: I sing and dance while driving. So if you see me on the road just pretend that you don't know me because I'm sure that I look like a total dork.
Reason #8: I bake cookies for no reason other than I felt like eating one.
Reason #7: For the right pair of shoes, I will risk getting caught sneaking them in the house past my husband.
Reason #6: I love bows on presents. If you ever receive a present from me, it will have a giant handmade bow on top.
Reason #5: I love Christmas. I will probably be the first person you know to put up their Christmas tree and the last to take it down...for this reason I have a fake tree. Last year my tree was up until March...lol.
Reason #4: Books are my favorite. If you need someone to read a book and then tell you about it, I'm your girl!
Reason #3: My favorite color is pink, but most of my wardrobe is black. Hey, black always looks good.
Reason #2: It doesn't take much to make me happy. A cocktail and a dessert will do....or a new pair of shoes. I wear a size 8.5 in case you were wondering.
Finally, the most important reason why you love me is....because I'm me...and you love it. You know you do!
Happy Birthday to me and Happy Black Friday to all of you!
Reason #10: If the mood strikes me, I will jump up and down through the aisles of the grocery store. Sometimes, if the store isn't too busy, my husband will jump with me, but don't tell him that I told you that.
Reason #9: I sing and dance while driving. So if you see me on the road just pretend that you don't know me because I'm sure that I look like a total dork.
Reason #8: I bake cookies for no reason other than I felt like eating one.
Reason #7: For the right pair of shoes, I will risk getting caught sneaking them in the house past my husband.
Him: "Are those new honey?"
Me: "These old things? Of course not! I've had them forever..."
Him: "Really?"
Me: "No, they're new...you got me. I couldn't not buy them though. They just looked so good on my feet!"
Him: "I need to figure out how to make more money..."
Reason #6: I love bows on presents. If you ever receive a present from me, it will have a giant handmade bow on top.
Reason #5: I love Christmas. I will probably be the first person you know to put up their Christmas tree and the last to take it down...for this reason I have a fake tree. Last year my tree was up until March...lol.
Reason #4: Books are my favorite. If you need someone to read a book and then tell you about it, I'm your girl!
Reason #3: My favorite color is pink, but most of my wardrobe is black. Hey, black always looks good.
Reason #2: It doesn't take much to make me happy. A cocktail and a dessert will do....or a new pair of shoes. I wear a size 8.5 in case you were wondering.
Finally, the most important reason why you love me is....because I'm me...and you love it. You know you do!
Happy Birthday to me and Happy Black Friday to all of you!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Simply Spaghetti
I love spaghetti. The simplicity of the flavors. The texture of the pasta. The stretch of the melted mozzarella cheese, which is a must have with spaghetti. All of this equals love to me. Spaghetti is my ultimate comfort food. My mom used to make it all the time for me as a child and now, ironically, I make it all the time for her since we work together...lol.
I've always wanted to do one of those photo step-by-step recipe posts, but never got the chance. So the last time that I cooked up a batch of spaghetti I made sure that I took pictures. Here it goes...
*Note: This spaghetti sauce freezes well. So make a huge batch and freeze it like I do. Then you'll have pre-made sauce for spaghetti, or lasagna, or baked spaghetti. Mmmm...I love spaghetti. Did I say that already?
You can't screw up spaghetti, so don't be afraid. Well, if you burn it that would be bad. Don't burn it! If you do, quickly pour it into a new pot, being careful to avoid scraping any of the burnt part off from the original pot. Usually doing that will save a burnt dish, but please try your hardest to avoid that.
Also, don't over salt it. I did that once because I didn't feel like tasting the sauce and I forgot how salty olives can be. Let's just say my husband was none too pleased...lol. He ate it, but with a lot more noodles than normal. I guess to combat an over salted pot of spaghetti you can always add more tomato sauce and Italian seasoning, but your sauce will just be less meaty and thick. Learn from me people...lol.
Spaghetti, to be eaten correctly, must be topped with melted mozzarella cheese and served with a side of warm garlic bread. If not, then it's not spaghetti. It's just sad noodles in a bowl...lol.
Happy hump day y'all!
PS. My birthday is in 9 more days! Yes, the count down is starting already. :)
I've always wanted to do one of those photo step-by-step recipe posts, but never got the chance. So the last time that I cooked up a batch of spaghetti I made sure that I took pictures. Here it goes...
Spaghetti a la Arielle
2 (15-16oz) cans of diced tomatoes; 1 can tomato paste (I like my sauce on the thicker side, so I add it to thicken things up. If you don't, then just omit it.); 1 can olives, sliced.
2 (15-16oz) cans of tomato sauce.
(Yes, this is the giant can of tomato sauce from Costco. It's something like 106 oz...lol. It's cheaper to buy the huge can than a bunch of little cans, especially when I cook like 4 batches of spaghetti at once. Who would eat all that spaghetti, you ask? The kids at my mom's daycare. They can pound some spaghetti like nobody's business. I usually cook a huge batch once a month and freeze it in quart sized bags. That way I can bust it out whenever they ask me for it.)
1 medium round onion, chopped; 6 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 bell pepper, chopped; 4 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
Spinach (whatever amount you deem appropriate), chopped; 1 tray of mushrooms (not pictured because I forgot to take a picture of it...oops.), sliced
1 package mild Italian sausage sliced and quickly browned (to keep it from falling apart in the sauce while simmering later on)...
then removed before being fully cooked. Don't worry it'll get thrown back into the mix in a minute.
1 pound ground turkey, browned.
Once the turkey meat is browned add the sausage into the pot. Stir them together, so that they can become better acquainted with one another.
Add in the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over low to medium heat until the onion and bell pepper are soft. (I have found that adding the seasoning, salt, and pepper at this point helps to flavor the turkey a little bit.)
Add in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir to incorporate. Simmer for a bit while you finish chopping the spinach (Am I the only one that doesn't remember all the ingredients that I needed to prep? I always forget one and end up frantically chopping something every time that I make this...lol.) Add in the chopped spinach. Simmer until the spinach cooks down a bit, about 5 minutes or so. Then add in the sliced mushrooms and olives.
Your spaghetti sauce should look like this, at this point. Taste it and adjust the seasonings as needed. Start boiling the water to cook your pasta in. (Whole wheat noodles are a staple in my house. Yum!) Simmer until your noodles are done and you are ready to serve it.
*Note: This spaghetti sauce freezes well. So make a huge batch and freeze it like I do. Then you'll have pre-made sauce for spaghetti, or lasagna, or baked spaghetti. Mmmm...I love spaghetti. Did I say that already?
You can't screw up spaghetti, so don't be afraid. Well, if you burn it that would be bad. Don't burn it! If you do, quickly pour it into a new pot, being careful to avoid scraping any of the burnt part off from the original pot. Usually doing that will save a burnt dish, but please try your hardest to avoid that.
Also, don't over salt it. I did that once because I didn't feel like tasting the sauce and I forgot how salty olives can be. Let's just say my husband was none too pleased...lol. He ate it, but with a lot more noodles than normal. I guess to combat an over salted pot of spaghetti you can always add more tomato sauce and Italian seasoning, but your sauce will just be less meaty and thick. Learn from me people...lol.
Spaghetti, to be eaten correctly, must be topped with melted mozzarella cheese and served with a side of warm garlic bread. If not, then it's not spaghetti. It's just sad noodles in a bowl...lol.
Happy hump day y'all!
PS. My birthday is in 9 more days! Yes, the count down is starting already. :)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Mirror, mirror on the wall...
Do you have a magic mirror in your home? You know, the one that makes you look like you but on super model steroids?
I have one in my living room. It's magical. It makes me look 10 pounds lighter and about 20 times more toned than I really am. I love it. I feel more like myself when I gaze into it, which happens to be around 10 times a day...lol.
Am I lying to myself? Of course I am. Will I stop? Not any time in the foreseeable future.
I tried to take a picture of what it looks like for you guys, but the photos just don't do it justice.
Okay, I'll show you the photos that I took, but be warned, they aren't very good. Concentrate on my abs and not on the mess in the background that you can see reflecting in the mirror...lol.
Do my abs look like that in real life? Hell to the no! But in that mirror, with that lamp for lighting, I look like I should be on the next Bowflex commercial...lol. I love this mirror and am never parting with it ever!
So the next time that you are beating yourself up over eating a cookie just come on over to my house (Please excuse the mess.) and stare into the magic mirror. You'll feel a thousand times better, even if it is just the lighting that causes the super model effect.
I have one in my living room. It's magical. It makes me look 10 pounds lighter and about 20 times more toned than I really am. I love it. I feel more like myself when I gaze into it, which happens to be around 10 times a day...lol.
Am I lying to myself? Of course I am. Will I stop? Not any time in the foreseeable future.
I tried to take a picture of what it looks like for you guys, but the photos just don't do it justice.
Okay, I'll show you the photos that I took, but be warned, they aren't very good. Concentrate on my abs and not on the mess in the background that you can see reflecting in the mirror...lol.
With flash. Not the best picture, but you can kind of see what I am talking about.
Without flash. Yes, those are shopping bags and my Halloween costume in the background...lol. I've said it before and I'll say it again, cleaning is Hades. Why clean today when you can clean tomorrow, right?
Do my abs look like that in real life? Hell to the no! But in that mirror, with that lamp for lighting, I look like I should be on the next Bowflex commercial...lol. I love this mirror and am never parting with it ever!
So the next time that you are beating yourself up over eating a cookie just come on over to my house (Please excuse the mess.) and stare into the magic mirror. You'll feel a thousand times better, even if it is just the lighting that causes the super model effect.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Channeling my inner dork...
So ready for a day off tomorrow! Not that it's been a particularly trying week or anything. It's just that I'd rather be doing the opposite of working. I'm probably going to Dougie right out the door at quitting time...all the way on over to the gym...lol.
Have a great Veteran's Day bloggies! Don't forget to do something nice for a veteran. :)
Friday, November 5, 2010
Halloween Weekend 2010
You all know that I've been planning and preparing for Halloween all month long...maybe even a little longer than that with the fitness goals. I was so excited. I was looking good, had my costume all planned out. Basically Cinderella on her way to the ball at that point. Then the unthinkable happened. My husband got sick. Junk, junkie, junkness. I know it's not his fault that he got sick and he felt really, really, I mean REALLY bad about it, but it still kind of put a damper on my Halloweenie-ness.
Not too much of a damper though because I still went out without him. Hey, I had made plans already. We were committed! I left him home with a few cans of soup and a can opener. He was sick, but not sick enough not to be able to work the microwave. He's a big boy. Plus, I think that he would have felt worse if I stayed home with him after working so hard on putting together my costume. So I went out for him. That's my story and I'm sticking to it...lol.
A few friends and I met up at Ocean Club on Friday for a costume party. We had fun, danced a bit, drank a little, and then like old people we dug out by 1am...lol. It was a Friday! I worked all day before that...I know, for shame.
Okay so it's time for the costume unveiling...
On Saturday morning, Jenna and I went to a Zumba-thon put on by Kulia at Maunawili Elementary School.
On Sunday we had a first birthday party to attend to for Carly fries. My husband was still sick, so I was the family representative...lol. Being a Halloween baby, she of course had a costume party. I reworked my costume to make it kid party appropriate and ended up being a punk rock ballerina.
All in all, a full weekend indeed. And wouldn't you know my husband was all better on Monday. Such is life. huh?
Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween!
Not too much of a damper though because I still went out without him. Hey, I had made plans already. We were committed! I left him home with a few cans of soup and a can opener. He was sick, but not sick enough not to be able to work the microwave. He's a big boy. Plus, I think that he would have felt worse if I stayed home with him after working so hard on putting together my costume. So I went out for him. That's my story and I'm sticking to it...lol.
A few friends and I met up at Ocean Club on Friday for a costume party. We had fun, danced a bit, drank a little, and then like old people we dug out by 1am...lol. It was a Friday! I worked all day before that...I know, for shame.
Okay so it's time for the costume unveiling...
L to R: Adam (Don Draper, from Mad Men), Jenna (Marilyn Monroe), and Me (Cancan dancer). A photographer at the club took this one. Thanks "La Cutie"! It's a cute picture of all of us. I might just have to print this one out.
Here's one of Adam and Jenna that I took with my phone, so excuse the bad quality. Don't they look so cute together? (I kind of missed my husband at this point.) They're our married friends. Isn't it strange how after you get married you refer to your friends as either married or single?
We saw an old high school buddy, Marques. He's Clark Kent. He also frequents the gym. You can't really tell by this picture, but he looked super buff in that well fitted Superman tee...lol.
Rhandi (the Greek Goddess on the left) is also a high school buddy. She invited us out to the club that night. I think that it was her friend Kristen's birthday that night. Kristen is the cop on the right. Thanks for getting us in with no cover Kristen!
Speaking of cops...I think the costume for Halloween 2010 was sexy lady cop. There were like a million of them at the club that night!
Speaking of cops...I think the costume for Halloween 2010 was sexy lady cop. There were like a million of them at the club that night!
Rhandi and I. Again taken with my phone, so sorry about the quality. You can see my skirt. I sewed that! I even tied all the bows. My mother was so proud, mostly because she didn't have to sew it for me...lol.
I was given a special request to show the shoes that I was wearing. (Hi Pharris and Aunty Wyn!) These are by Paris Hilton. I know! Who knew that the girl had some taste? Black satin pumps, with hot pink soles, and rhinestone studded spike heels. How could I say no to those?!? Probably, I and every tranny showgirl have them...lol. Just a joke, but seriously...
(Yes, those are my legs. This photo was taken by Joanne Barrett from Island Style Images. I did a photo shoot with her earlier this year. She's located out in the North Shore and totally rocks! Check her out for your next family photo session. You won't be disappointed!)
On Saturday morning, Jenna and I went to a Zumba-thon put on by Kulia at Maunawili Elementary School.
Here we all are after the two hour Zumba-thon. I really need to start taking pictures before exercising. I, well I guess we all, would have looked a lot better if I had done that...lol. Oops.
Kulia teaches the best Zumba class in Kailua. I daresay the best on the island. She's a super fun girl with a great personality that totally shines through to her teaching. I always have a good time at her classes. She's there at the elementary on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15pm-7:15pm. Class is $5 at the door. Zumba, zumba!
On Sunday we had a first birthday party to attend to for Carly fries. My husband was still sick, so I was the family representative...lol. Being a Halloween baby, she of course had a costume party. I reworked my costume to make it kid party appropriate and ended up being a punk rock ballerina.
Happy 1st birthday Carly fries! Hopefully you like cake a little more next year...lol.
All in all, a full weekend indeed. And wouldn't you know my husband was all better on Monday. Such is life. huh?
Hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Go, go! Fight, fight! Jee I hope I look alright...
Last night I decided to do the 24 Lift group class (Weights with a ton of leg and arm exercises. Good for the soul really...lol.). I've done it a few times before and really liked it, but last night was the best class ever.
Why was it so good you ask? Who wants to exercise, let alone with weights?
What made it the best class ever wasn't the instructor or the fact that I can lift about two times as much as I used to lift, but that my trainer, Cheynah, made it a point to get my attention during class to say hi and tell me how good I looked doing it. She was pretty much banging on the window to get my attention. (Hey, I'm in the zone when I'm at the gym. Come to think of it I'm in the zone regardless of where I am. If you see me on the street and I don't say hi, please don't be offended. It's most likely that I didn't see you because I'm focused on where I'm going or what I'm doing. Either that or I see you and don't want to say hi...you'll never really know will you. Nah, just kidding!) Think Ben in 'The Graduate' during the church scene..."Elaine! Elaine!".
For those of you who don't know 'The Graduate' (For shame! Rent it now! Go on, put it in your Netflix queue. I'll wait...), here's the scene:
She finally got my attention (probably after a good 5 minutes or so), waved hello, flashed me a smile and a thumbs up and mouthed "You look good!"
I think that I am the only person at the gym that has a cheering squad while taking a group class...lol. Thanks Cheynah! I love you for that.
Why was it so good you ask? Who wants to exercise, let alone with weights?
What made it the best class ever wasn't the instructor or the fact that I can lift about two times as much as I used to lift, but that my trainer, Cheynah, made it a point to get my attention during class to say hi and tell me how good I looked doing it. She was pretty much banging on the window to get my attention. (Hey, I'm in the zone when I'm at the gym. Come to think of it I'm in the zone regardless of where I am. If you see me on the street and I don't say hi, please don't be offended. It's most likely that I didn't see you because I'm focused on where I'm going or what I'm doing. Either that or I see you and don't want to say hi...you'll never really know will you. Nah, just kidding!) Think Ben in 'The Graduate' during the church scene..."Elaine! Elaine!".
For those of you who don't know 'The Graduate' (For shame! Rent it now! Go on, put it in your Netflix queue. I'll wait...), here's the scene:
She finally got my attention (probably after a good 5 minutes or so), waved hello, flashed me a smile and a thumbs up and mouthed "You look good!"
I think that I am the only person at the gym that has a cheering squad while taking a group class...lol. Thanks Cheynah! I love you for that.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Dirty Jobs
Do you know what is a million times worse than doing the dishes? The gross gunky stuff that fills up the sink drain screen once the dishes are washed. Now that is disgusting. Just thinking about the nastiness that ends up in there makes me throw up a little in my mouth. (Did I go too far with that one? Sorry...lol.)
The sink drain screen is just something that I will never ever touch. That is where I pull out the "I'm a girl" card on my husband. I'm pretty sure that it was stated in our vows. In fact, I'm 60% sure that I heard him say, "To love, honor, kill bugs, and empty the sink drain screen."
He empties it for me every time, without complaint or hesitation and I love him for it. Now if only could get him to run concernedly to my side saying, "Yes, my Princess." every time that I call him, instead of the causal "Yeah?"
I know I've got it good, but there's always room for improvement, right?
Monday, October 25, 2010
Random Sights...
In the spirit of Monotonous Mondays...
Have you ever seen something weird and just had to take a picture of it? Well here's one:
I went to get a massage a few weeks ago at the Hawaii Healing Arts College (Awesome massages for a low price. Plus you get to help a student get the hands on training that they need to graduate as a Massage Therapist. Go ahead and treat yourself. You deserve it! And for that price you could go once a week and write it off as community service...lol.) and snapped this photo. I'm sure that it was referring to the offices located in the "fringe" of the building, but I couldn't help but take the picture. What a weird title to direct people by.
Also, I love the show Fringe and was secretly hoping that Oliva and Peter would walk out, heading off to solve a new Fringe case. That would have been exciting!
Got a weird picture to share? I'd love to see them!
Happy Monday!
Have you ever seen something weird and just had to take a picture of it? Well here's one:
I went to get a massage a few weeks ago at the Hawaii Healing Arts College (Awesome massages for a low price. Plus you get to help a student get the hands on training that they need to graduate as a Massage Therapist. Go ahead and treat yourself. You deserve it! And for that price you could go once a week and write it off as community service...lol.) and snapped this photo. I'm sure that it was referring to the offices located in the "fringe" of the building, but I couldn't help but take the picture. What a weird title to direct people by.
Also, I love the show Fringe and was secretly hoping that Oliva and Peter would walk out, heading off to solve a new Fringe case. That would have been exciting!
Got a weird picture to share? I'd love to see them!
Happy Monday!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Taking a walk down memory lane
Recently I blew up my parent's TV. Well, it wasn't my fault per say. I think that the picture tube just blew up, but it was I that turned it on. Plus, I tend to have a bad rapport with all things mechanical...so it probably was my fault somehow...lol.
Moving on...and hopefully getting to the point soon...
Because the TV was broken they had to go out and purchase a new one. Every woman knows that a new home appliance always means new furniture or at least the removal of the old furniture. In my parent's case it was the removal of their old entertainment center. (I'm still getting used to the wall mounted TV and lack of entertainment center. It needs something. I suggested an accent wall behind the TV, but my Dad shot me down because it involved him having to paint...lol.)
I did not realize how much stuff was actually held in that entertainment center. It had two standing bookshelves with cabinets; all of which were stuffed with pictures, CDs, and DVDs. There is now a huge box full of CDs and DVDs, not to mention the piles of framed pictures all over my parent's dining room table. So on Sunday my Dad motioned to the box and said ever so nicely "Take your stuff." (He thinks that everything that isn't his laying around in the house must be mine, even though I've been moved out of his house for about 5 years now. What am I saying? Hell, most of it is mine, but this time most of the box was his. Yeah I said it...hehe.)
I peered into the box and what did I find? A treasure trove of musical genius! Oh how had I forgotten thee when I moved out? Metallica paired up with the Symphony (The most awesomely deep, dark, soul searching album they have ever put out.), Britney Spears when she wasn't a whore (I still love her even though people think she's a whore. She's just misunderstood, but is kind of whore-ish...lol.), Norah Jones (She owns the key to my heart. Quiet dinner party with wine; she is on my go to playlist for that one.), Save Ferris (Ska-punk forever! Not a single bad song on this album. Plus they sing about Spam and who doesn't love that?), No Doubt (Tragic Kingdom was the best No Doubt album hands down. If you don't know it, get it!), Jewel (No one speaks to me like you do Jewel. Right down into the very core of my being.), Jay Z (Say what you want, but the man is a lyrical genius. I can't get enough of him.), and the list goes on and on.
I popped these bad boys into my car's CD player, which was probably squealing with delight saying "You still love me! I knew you hadn't forgotten about me!", and have been karaoke-ing it up ever since.
In honor of 'the classics' of my life, or at least the '90's/early 2000's classics' of my life, here's my playlist for the weekend in no particular order:
(Warning: Some of these songs aren't G rated, so before you load them into your iPod and pack up the family for a day of fun, preview them first.)
Morning Song by Jewel
Just a Girl by No Doubt
Piece of Me by Britney Spears
I'm a Slave 4 You by Britney Spears
In the Zone by Britney Spears and Madonna
Dead Presidents II by Jay Z
99 Problems by Jay Z and Linkin Park
The Nearness of You by Norah Jones
Come Away with Me by Norah Jones
Turn Me On by Norah Jones
Hero of the Day by Metallica and the Symphony off the S&M album
Come on Eileen by Save Ferris
Spam by Save Ferris
The World is New by Save Ferris
Money Wrench by The Foo Fighters
My Poor Brain by The Foo Fighters
What's My Age Again by Blink 182
Apple Shampoo by Blink 182
Steal My Sunshine by Len (I loved this song so much that going into the 10th grade I seriously dressed like Sharon Costanzo and took my yearbook photo. Kind of embarrassing now, but then I was so totally cool!)
Moving on...and hopefully getting to the point soon...
Because the TV was broken they had to go out and purchase a new one. Every woman knows that a new home appliance always means new furniture or at least the removal of the old furniture. In my parent's case it was the removal of their old entertainment center. (I'm still getting used to the wall mounted TV and lack of entertainment center. It needs something. I suggested an accent wall behind the TV, but my Dad shot me down because it involved him having to paint...lol.)
I did not realize how much stuff was actually held in that entertainment center. It had two standing bookshelves with cabinets; all of which were stuffed with pictures, CDs, and DVDs. There is now a huge box full of CDs and DVDs, not to mention the piles of framed pictures all over my parent's dining room table. So on Sunday my Dad motioned to the box and said ever so nicely "Take your stuff." (He thinks that everything that isn't his laying around in the house must be mine, even though I've been moved out of his house for about 5 years now. What am I saying? Hell, most of it is mine, but this time most of the box was his. Yeah I said it...hehe.)
I peered into the box and what did I find? A treasure trove of musical genius! Oh how had I forgotten thee when I moved out? Metallica paired up with the Symphony (The most awesomely deep, dark, soul searching album they have ever put out.), Britney Spears when she wasn't a whore (I still love her even though people think she's a whore. She's just misunderstood, but is kind of whore-ish...lol.), Norah Jones (She owns the key to my heart. Quiet dinner party with wine; she is on my go to playlist for that one.), Save Ferris (Ska-punk forever! Not a single bad song on this album. Plus they sing about Spam and who doesn't love that?), No Doubt (Tragic Kingdom was the best No Doubt album hands down. If you don't know it, get it!), Jewel (No one speaks to me like you do Jewel. Right down into the very core of my being.), Jay Z (Say what you want, but the man is a lyrical genius. I can't get enough of him.), and the list goes on and on.
I popped these bad boys into my car's CD player, which was probably squealing with delight saying "You still love me! I knew you hadn't forgotten about me!", and have been karaoke-ing it up ever since.
In honor of 'the classics' of my life, or at least the '90's/early 2000's classics' of my life, here's my playlist for the weekend in no particular order:
(Warning: Some of these songs aren't G rated, so before you load them into your iPod and pack up the family for a day of fun, preview them first.)
Morning Song by Jewel
Just a Girl by No Doubt
Piece of Me by Britney Spears
I'm a Slave 4 You by Britney Spears
In the Zone by Britney Spears and Madonna
Dead Presidents II by Jay Z
99 Problems by Jay Z and Linkin Park
The Nearness of You by Norah Jones
Come Away with Me by Norah Jones
Turn Me On by Norah Jones
Hero of the Day by Metallica and the Symphony off the S&M album
Come on Eileen by Save Ferris
Spam by Save Ferris
The World is New by Save Ferris
Money Wrench by The Foo Fighters
My Poor Brain by The Foo Fighters
What's My Age Again by Blink 182
Apple Shampoo by Blink 182
Steal My Sunshine by Len (I loved this song so much that going into the 10th grade I seriously dressed like Sharon Costanzo and took my yearbook photo. Kind of embarrassing now, but then I was so totally cool!)
See what I mean? The things we do for fashion.
Go on be nostalgic...you know you want to.
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Make it work!
This past Saturday I got to do something totally unexpected...I got to meet Tim Gunn! That's right. Tim freakin' Gunn, people!
He was hosting a runway show at Ala Moana Shopping Center on Saturday. I had gotten an email about it, but I thought "If I make it, I make it. If I don't, then I don't." I didn't want to get super psyched about it. Usually it turns out to be a classically overrated event where you catch a glimpse of the celebrity and then they are whisked off into an air conditioned room to escape the 'unbearable Hawaii heat'.
I just so happened to be there at Ala Moana to meet my Aunt for her birthday lunch. Thus, I took it as a sign from God that I was supposed to meet Tim Gunn. That and the fact that I could return all my $150 qualifying purchase from Kate Spade that was needed to take a picture with Mr. Project Runway himself. (Before you judge: Do I love Kate Spade? Yes! Who doesn't? Did I need $150 of stuff? No. Unfortunately when I went to return the hastily purchased items I found a purse that I totally love. So I may just have to go back there and pick up that show stopper...damn you instant karma!)
I got in line and excitedly waited my turn to meet Tim. (Yes, we're on a first name basis now...lol.) My Mom stood in line with me until she saw another one of my Aunts who had been there just to watch the fashion show. She's a huge Tim Gunn fan and I found out from one of the event workers that they didn't care how many people that you took in with you. So I told Mom to go and grab her to wait in line with us too. She was tickled pink to say the least. I think that she was even more excited than I was.
We stood in line for about 30 minutes before we actually got to meet Tim. They served hors d'oeuvres and cocktails to everyone while we all waited. Plus there were other people to meet while awaiting the main event....like Andy South!
Finally the moment we've all been waiting for. We got to meet Tim! He also signed his book, Tim Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work, for each of us.
I must admit that I was a little worried about what Tim would say about my outfit. It was by no means planned in advance. It was clean and cute, so I threw it on and walked out the door. Banana Republic black tank top (a staple in my wardrobe), Matty M art deco inspired cotton skirt, and black flip flops. The outfit was cute enough, but I was really worried about the flip flops. Would Tim make a comment on my lack of heels? Ugh, why did I not wear heels?!?
Being the gracious man that he is, he said nothing about my flip flops. Though he did say that my skirt was fabulous! (I thought about telling him that I recently purchased it for $5 from Costco. I think they only had one size left and it just happened to fit me. Hooray, I love inexpensive fashion finds! But I decided to keep that little nugget of information to myself.)
Tim was totally cute and kept the conversation going with all of us while we were taking pictures and getting our books signed. He even jokingly made a comment about how he didn't know what to do with his collar since no one in Hawaii wore a tie. You could have rocked the tie Tim. I wouldn't have minded one little bit.
All in all, the experience was a great one. It turned out to be the ultimate "Make-It-Work" moment since none of it was planned.
Stay fabulous Tim because you better believe I will!
He was hosting a runway show at Ala Moana Shopping Center on Saturday. I had gotten an email about it, but I thought "If I make it, I make it. If I don't, then I don't." I didn't want to get super psyched about it. Usually it turns out to be a classically overrated event where you catch a glimpse of the celebrity and then they are whisked off into an air conditioned room to escape the 'unbearable Hawaii heat'.
Tim and Andy during the fashion show.
I just so happened to be there at Ala Moana to meet my Aunt for her birthday lunch. Thus, I took it as a sign from God that I was supposed to meet Tim Gunn. That and the fact that I could return all my $150 qualifying purchase from Kate Spade that was needed to take a picture with Mr. Project Runway himself. (Before you judge: Do I love Kate Spade? Yes! Who doesn't? Did I need $150 of stuff? No. Unfortunately when I went to return the hastily purchased items I found a purse that I totally love. So I may just have to go back there and pick up that show stopper...damn you instant karma!)
I got in line and excitedly waited my turn to meet Tim. (Yes, we're on a first name basis now...lol.) My Mom stood in line with me until she saw another one of my Aunts who had been there just to watch the fashion show. She's a huge Tim Gunn fan and I found out from one of the event workers that they didn't care how many people that you took in with you. So I told Mom to go and grab her to wait in line with us too. She was tickled pink to say the least. I think that she was even more excited than I was.
This was my spot in line. If you know Ala Moana Shopping Center this is kind of far away from Center Stage, where Tim was, but this was actually a good spot because there were probably 100 plus people behind me. Poor Tim having to greet each person in line.
We stood in line for about 30 minutes before we actually got to meet Tim. They served hors d'oeuvres and cocktails to everyone while we all waited. Plus there were other people to meet while awaiting the main event....like Andy South!
His hair was really purple and he was wearing those super low crotched pants that he loves to make. Personally, I wouldn't wear them, but he totally rocks it like nobody's business.
Finally the moment we've all been waiting for. We got to meet Tim! He also signed his book, Tim Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work, for each of us.
Here's the whole group of us with Tim. L to R: George (Aunty Andrea's brother), Mom, Tim, Me, and Aunty Andrea.
Here's the cropped version with just Mom and I.
I must admit that I was a little worried about what Tim would say about my outfit. It was by no means planned in advance. It was clean and cute, so I threw it on and walked out the door. Banana Republic black tank top (a staple in my wardrobe), Matty M art deco inspired cotton skirt, and black flip flops. The outfit was cute enough, but I was really worried about the flip flops. Would Tim make a comment on my lack of heels? Ugh, why did I not wear heels?!?
Being the gracious man that he is, he said nothing about my flip flops. Though he did say that my skirt was fabulous! (I thought about telling him that I recently purchased it for $5 from Costco. I think they only had one size left and it just happened to fit me. Hooray, I love inexpensive fashion finds! But I decided to keep that little nugget of information to myself.)
Tim was totally cute and kept the conversation going with all of us while we were taking pictures and getting our books signed. He even jokingly made a comment about how he didn't know what to do with his collar since no one in Hawaii wore a tie. You could have rocked the tie Tim. I wouldn't have minded one little bit.
All in all, the experience was a great one. It turned out to be the ultimate "Make-It-Work" moment since none of it was planned.
Stay fabulous Tim because you better believe I will!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Random thought...
Is it weird to practice your runway walk while walking on the treadmill at the gym to escape the sheer bordom of simply walking on the treadmill?
Yes, I did indeed do that tonight at the gym. Sooooo...if you ever see me at the gym, please promise me that you'll avert your eyes because I'll probably be doing something equally kooky...lol.
Have a fabulous Friday ya'll!
Yes, I did indeed do that tonight at the gym. Sooooo...if you ever see me at the gym, please promise me that you'll avert your eyes because I'll probably be doing something equally kooky...lol.
Have a fabulous Friday ya'll!
October 24: Christmas Tag-a-polooza
Holy smokes this year is flying by fast! It's almost Halloween and Thanksgiving is right around the corner...which means it's time to start getting ready for Christmas!
This month's Stampin' day will take place on October 24th, which is a Sunday, at Mom's house in Kailua at 1pm. Contact me directly for more details on the exact location.
It's Christmas tag time, baby! I love Christmas, just in case you didn't already know that about me. :) We'll be making a whopping 30 tags this year! 5 of each of the 6 styles. I omitted making a container to put them in, so that we could make more tags instead. (Sorry if you liked the cutesie box last year. Let me know your feedback, more tags with no container or less tags with a container, so that I can be ready for next year.)
Per the mixed bag of email responses about whether or not we should increase the class fee to make more tags, I've decided to keep it at $20 a kit. If you do want to make more tags (60 instead of 30), because you are a hardcore Christmas freak like myself and because I love ya, I'm offering a double kit deal for $5 off. That's right, twice as many tags for only $35! See how much I love you guys? The catch is (and you know that there's always a catch) you have to be making the tags for yourself, not buying a kit for yourself and one for a friend. Deal? Great!
As previously stated, the class fee is the standard $20, which includes your kit with pre-cut pieces, all shared supplies (stamps, scissors, etc.), and a super yummy snack. Don't forget to bring your own double-sided sticky tape! I know when you get into the crafting groove it can be a real bummer to have to wait for supplies, so feel free to bring other supplies along with you as well (ie. scissors or hand held punches) since I only have a limited amount to share with you all. Please RSVP to me via email by Wednesday, October 20th.
Don't be shy! Encourage a friend(s) to come along. More girls means more ideas and more fun shared together! Just be sure that they RSVP to me or you can RSVP for them. Also, if you are unable to attend, but still want to do the class you can purchase a kit for $25 (which includes the $5 for shipping and handling). Looking forward to seeing you all!
Stampin' and smilin',
Arielle
This month's Stampin' day will take place on October 24th, which is a Sunday, at Mom's house in Kailua at 1pm. Contact me directly for more details on the exact location.
It's Christmas tag time, baby! I love Christmas, just in case you didn't already know that about me. :) We'll be making a whopping 30 tags this year! 5 of each of the 6 styles. I omitted making a container to put them in, so that we could make more tags instead. (Sorry if you liked the cutesie box last year. Let me know your feedback, more tags with no container or less tags with a container, so that I can be ready for next year.)
I was going for a bit of a vintage look with this year's tags. I think they came out pretty darn cute!
Thanks Teri for your awesome tag-spiration on a few of these! Did I mention that I have the best SU! up-line ever? Well, I do.
Per the mixed bag of email responses about whether or not we should increase the class fee to make more tags, I've decided to keep it at $20 a kit. If you do want to make more tags (60 instead of 30), because you are a hardcore Christmas freak like myself and because I love ya, I'm offering a double kit deal for $5 off. That's right, twice as many tags for only $35! See how much I love you guys? The catch is (and you know that there's always a catch) you have to be making the tags for yourself, not buying a kit for yourself and one for a friend. Deal? Great!
As previously stated, the class fee is the standard $20, which includes your kit with pre-cut pieces, all shared supplies (stamps, scissors, etc.), and a super yummy snack. Don't forget to bring your own double-sided sticky tape! I know when you get into the crafting groove it can be a real bummer to have to wait for supplies, so feel free to bring other supplies along with you as well (ie. scissors or hand held punches) since I only have a limited amount to share with you all. Please RSVP to me via email by Wednesday, October 20th.
Don't be shy! Encourage a friend(s) to come along. More girls means more ideas and more fun shared together! Just be sure that they RSVP to me or you can RSVP for them. Also, if you are unable to attend, but still want to do the class you can purchase a kit for $25 (which includes the $5 for shipping and handling). Looking forward to seeing you all!
Stampin' and smilin',
Arielle
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Is this real life?
Did I just look up school information on the WCC website? Was that really me looking at the requirements for a degree in Art or was that some kind of pod person posing as me? I think it really was me.
How could I possibly be ready to do it all again? Was one college experience not enough for me? Maybe I've got the flu...or worse...Bieber fever...lol. (Just kidding, but Bieber fever would be worse than going back to school. Sorry Bieber fans.)
Maybe this is a mid-twenties crisis...or just another crackpot Arielle excuse to put a "real career" on hold for another year or two. Probably the latter...lol.
A degree in Art would be pretty cool, I must admit. (You work at a bank? Well, I'm an artiste.) I have always seen myself as the slightly crazy, mostly creative, whimsical, artistic type. Maybe it's time to get serious. Maybe my degree in psychology was me running from my fear of the unknown. Or rather fear of the penniless artist imagery that goes hand-in-hand with saying that you are an artist.
I can see myself in a little paint splattered studio working on my next big piece with my two kids in tow working on their little mini masterpieces (ie. eating way too many chocolate chip cookies all while spilling paint on the floor because they "missed the paper"). Aaahhh, the good life.
Is it time to nut up or shut up? You've got to risk it to get the biscuit, right?
How could I possibly be ready to do it all again? Was one college experience not enough for me? Maybe I've got the flu...or worse...Bieber fever...lol. (Just kidding, but Bieber fever would be worse than going back to school. Sorry Bieber fans.)
Maybe this is a mid-twenties crisis...or just another crackpot Arielle excuse to put a "real career" on hold for another year or two. Probably the latter...lol.
A degree in Art would be pretty cool, I must admit. (You work at a bank? Well, I'm an artiste.) I have always seen myself as the slightly crazy, mostly creative, whimsical, artistic type. Maybe it's time to get serious. Maybe my degree in psychology was me running from my fear of the unknown. Or rather fear of the penniless artist imagery that goes hand-in-hand with saying that you are an artist.
I can see myself in a little paint splattered studio working on my next big piece with my two kids in tow working on their little mini masterpieces (ie. eating way too many chocolate chip cookies all while spilling paint on the floor because they "missed the paper"). Aaahhh, the good life.
Is it time to nut up or shut up? You've got to risk it to get the biscuit, right?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
My girls rock!
As of late I've been on somewhat of a health kick, hitting the gym about 4 days a week. Sometimes even more. I know...I'm crazy. Certifiably insane even, especially since I hate sweat. I hate to sweat, I hate the smell of sweat, and most of all I hate to see and/or smell other people's sweat. It's an issue that I deal with constantly at the gym, since most people go there to work up a sweat...lol.
Why the insane hours at the gym, you ask? Well, Halloween is coming. What does Halloween have to do with the gym? EVERYTHING! Have you seen the Halloween costumes that they have for women now days? There are really only two choices; witch or sexy kitty....and who really wants to be a witch?
Thus, my friend, Jenna, and I have made a pact to don sexy Halloween costumes this year. We both joined 24 hour fitness last month and started taking exercise classes every night during the week. (Previously, we were taking exercise classes at the Kailua Rec Center, but once our favorite teacher Gabby moved to the mainland we decided to join the gym for better exercise class time slots. Hi Gabby! We miss you!)
As a new member they offered me a promotional option for a personal trainer session. I'm sure it's something that they sucker everyone into, but I thought why not give it a try? I figured that I was either going to love it or hate it, but at the very least maybe it would make me dive hardcore into a fitness plan. So I was assigned to a trainer named Cheynah and was told "Don't worry, you'll like her." I was thinking, "Sure....she's going to yell at me to move my fat ass. Yeah, I'll just love her to pieces."
Turns out that I actually do love her to pieces...lol. After the first session I was hooked. I did three sessions with her from my first package and ended up purchasing ten more. She doesn't yell or nazi me around the gym. She even puts up with me when I make my "Exercise is pure Hades" face during planks...lol. We actually joke around a lot and have fun, all while exercising. I know, I didn't think it would be possible either!
So after about a month of exercise classes at the gym coupled with training sessions with Cheynah, I've lost....wait for it....wait for it...sorry I have to build at least a little bit of drama...4% body fat! Hooray for less flabby body fat that could potentially stick out of my sexy Halloween costume!
This puts me close to the lower end of the Acceptable category, which was my starting goal. New goal, to get my butt into the Fitness category...without looking crazy buff that is...lol. (Want to know where you stand Body Fat Percentage wise? Click here.)
Thanks Cheynah for making exercise fun and for helping me to reach my fitness goals! Thanks Jenna for going with me to exercise class after exercise class and walking on the treadmill with me after class because Cheynah said that I needed more cardio. I couldn't have done it without both of you! You girls rock!
So jump on the fitness bandwagon with me! I want to hear all about your fitness goals in the comment section of this post....hint, hint! If you need a personal trainer, I know an excellent one...but don't even think about trying to steal my time slots with her. :)
Why the insane hours at the gym, you ask? Well, Halloween is coming. What does Halloween have to do with the gym? EVERYTHING! Have you seen the Halloween costumes that they have for women now days? There are really only two choices; witch or sexy kitty....and who really wants to be a witch?
Come on?!? Who doesn't want to look like this? No, I'm not going to be Catwoman for Halloween...lol. Actually, I'm going to be a cancan dancer. I'll take a picture. Yes, I promise!
Thus, my friend, Jenna, and I have made a pact to don sexy Halloween costumes this year. We both joined 24 hour fitness last month and started taking exercise classes every night during the week. (Previously, we were taking exercise classes at the Kailua Rec Center, but once our favorite teacher Gabby moved to the mainland we decided to join the gym for better exercise class time slots. Hi Gabby! We miss you!)
As a new member they offered me a promotional option for a personal trainer session. I'm sure it's something that they sucker everyone into, but I thought why not give it a try? I figured that I was either going to love it or hate it, but at the very least maybe it would make me dive hardcore into a fitness plan. So I was assigned to a trainer named Cheynah and was told "Don't worry, you'll like her." I was thinking, "Sure....she's going to yell at me to move my fat ass. Yeah, I'll just love her to pieces."
Turns out that I actually do love her to pieces...lol. After the first session I was hooked. I did three sessions with her from my first package and ended up purchasing ten more. She doesn't yell or nazi me around the gym. She even puts up with me when I make my "Exercise is pure Hades" face during planks...lol. We actually joke around a lot and have fun, all while exercising. I know, I didn't think it would be possible either!
Here's me and Cheynah after last night's workout. She looks totally cute and I look like a dork. Oh well. I guess that's what I get for taking the photo after working out...lol.
So after about a month of exercise classes at the gym coupled with training sessions with Cheynah, I've lost....wait for it....wait for it...sorry I have to build at least a little bit of drama...4% body fat! Hooray for less flabby body fat that could potentially stick out of my sexy Halloween costume!
*General Body Fat Percentage Categories
| Classification | Women (% fat) | Men (% fat) |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Fat | 10-12% | 2-4% |
| Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13% |
| Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17% |
| Acceptable | 25-31% | 18-25% |
| Obese | 32% plus | 25% plus |
This puts me close to the lower end of the Acceptable category, which was my starting goal. New goal, to get my butt into the Fitness category...without looking crazy buff that is...lol. (Want to know where you stand Body Fat Percentage wise? Click here.)
Thanks Cheynah for making exercise fun and for helping me to reach my fitness goals! Thanks Jenna for going with me to exercise class after exercise class and walking on the treadmill with me after class because Cheynah said that I needed more cardio. I couldn't have done it without both of you! You girls rock!
So jump on the fitness bandwagon with me! I want to hear all about your fitness goals in the comment section of this post....hint, hint! If you need a personal trainer, I know an excellent one...but don't even think about trying to steal my time slots with her. :)
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