I hate......

     There are so many things I love and are thankful for... but they all come with those little annoying things we hate!! Like I love to sleep but I hate my alarm clock. I love to cook but I hate to do dishes. I love to go places but I hate to buy gas. I love to go swimming but I hate wet clothes (yes even a wet swimsuit). I love to read but I hate having to stop to pee. I love my phone but I hate that the battery is always almost dead. I love how I feel after an hour of zumba but I hate (well I hate everything) the morning after zumba. I love Fruity Pebbles but I hate milk. I love my friends but I well... lets just say some of the spouses need to go! I love having my nails done but I hate not understanding a word the nail tech says to me the entire time. I love my laptop but I hate that it is mostly used for homework. But all those good things are definitely worth the irritating things that come with them!! :)

   

I hate....... popcorn!:

          But I love going to the movies!! Especially when Channing Tatum is going to be on the screen. Friday Amanda and I went to the movies to see The Vow. First time we had been to the movies together in over five years! It was a really great movie and even though we almost died like twice... It was a really fun time. Although the food was horrible (Casa Rita on western center) and I spent like 2 hours sitting in standstill traffic. We saw this lady that should have checked the mirror before she left. Three words... O... M...and G!! Speaking of OMG, Zac Efron!! He has a new movie coming out called The Lucky One and boy if that isn't the most appropriate title!! Just conjuring the preview in my head has made me speechless!! Soooooooo moving on!

I hate........ chickens! :

           But I loooooovveeee baby chicks. They are so cute and tiny!! And hilarious. Have you ever watched one go to sleep?? Cutest/funniest thing you will ever see. They just drop dead wherever they were standing and land in the most awkward positions. It's like in the movies when a robot is turned off the way they just shut down and their head drops... that's kinda like a baby chicken. This weekend was vaccination day. Even though I hate that the babies are being stuck with a needle almost as big as they are, I love vacc day! Tons of babies and Gypsy is like a mother hen/yorkie trying to make sure they are all safe and she wants to see every single one of them to make sure they are ok. I've never seen a dog that had her own animals. She has chickens, her very own evil kitty, a horse and she had a rabbit but he's missing. She's worse than I am about collecting random animals!!

I hate..... Scary movies! :

           But I love the adrenaline rush I get from them even though I know I'm going to be checking every inch of my backseat every time I get in my car. And I'm going to be avoiding the rear view mirror for months. And I will not sleep until I'm totally exhausted and can no longer keep my eyes open. I have an insanely active imagination and scary movies are just a dumb thing for me to do. But as I said... I love the adrenaline rush even though I don't actually see much of the movie :)!! I'm told I'm pretty entertaining to watch one with. In fact anyone who has ever watched a scary movie with me will tell you that I'm the best form of entertainment! I went with Lionela to see the black lady against my better judgement. I had seen (ok that's a lie... I had HEARD) the previews and even though it wasn't as scary as most... well I'm a big old baby. She had a grand ole time laughing at me. We have watched many many movies together but we had never watched a scary movie together. She was highly entertained with my antics. If she only knew that was tame compared to my usual. It will be awhile before she gets to see it again because I'm going to need at least a year to recover. I even chose a really small version of the picture because I was afraid if it was any bigger I'd be able to see something I didn't want to. Yes I'm aware I need therapy!!

I hate.........   Beer!! :

           But I love Almond Joys! If this really tastes like an almond joy I could see where one might become an alcoholic!

From my Nook to yours!:

           The last blog of the month which means... It's a historical book!! This one is about those Highlanders!! And it's only like $1.99!! I think. Don't hold me to that! In this book, Laurel is a tiny half English/ half Scottish highland beauty with a feisty personality. She is on her way from England to the highlands to live with her Highland laird grandfather when her and her escorts are attacked and she is taken by a monster of a man. She escapes after a beating and stumbles across another highland laird and his band of men. Laird McTiernay also known as Connor is a buff, gorgeous chieftain. The laird used to being in control and having everyone do as he says meets his match in the small fireball he takes back home beaten and bruised. Convincing her to Marry him was only the beginning of his troubles! Actually that part was easy. It's everything that comes after!! It's an OhNo!! Hahaha!! OhNo!! Hahaha!! kind of book. If you've never read a historical before you are missing out. Start with this one. 









Seriously?? Thank God for the small things that keep me sane!

     Boy have I had a rough two weeks... which of course puts me behind on this thing AGAIN!! I'm like the worst blogger ever!! The kind of blogger that forgets to blog for long periods of time. However, when I'm upset, blogging is the last thing on my mind. These past two weeks just keeping my tears in check took up all of my concentration. I really think my car is out to get me. First I have a flat tire that I didn't notice until it was time for me to go to work. Then on FLR day my car wouldn't start and I was almost late. Next I find out I got a ticket for my front tires being over the white line at a red light even though I was in the turn only lane and you CAN turn on red!! After that my windshield wipers stopped working on the way to work in the middle of a downpour! And my inspection is due this month. I know it will pass but um after having the fuel filter changed and anything else that may go wrong before then... well I'm gonna be seriously lacking in the bank account!! Not that my bank account isn't ever not lacking but I'm worried she will spiral into a deep depression after this month!! lol! On top of the car problems I'm having other problems. Of course I won't talk about that here because I am just not one to post my drama and besides it would hurt feelings and I'm just not into that. Even if mine are never taken into account. But we all have that problem with our friends and family I'm sure. Hmmm... I just realized I have went all day without eating and it's dinner time. This totally confuses my brother because as a garbage disposal he just can't fathom how someone can forget to eat. I just do. Probably the same reason I could never meditate or do yoga, my brain is just complete and constant activity even in relaxation! I'm told it's a sign of genius :)! I'll go along with that! Those who know me would of course roll their eyes and say," yeah ok Mandy" I happen to be a well known goober.

FLR

We have had an FLR lunch since my last post!! I sooooooo love them and can't wait for the next one. This is a picture of me and Candie at this month's Girl's Lunch. Risky's BBQ in the stockyards. It was so much fun. I really love these girls. I only have this pic and not a group pic because we were having so much fun laughing and catching up that we forgot to do a group photo. But we won't let that happen again. Next time I will have a group photo to post. I blame Jessica Law. That girl is just hilarious and keeps us all rolling. I swear if it weren't for these times with my girls, I would seriously go insane. I feel so much better afterwards. I'm thinking the saying that laughter is the best medicine may have a ton of merit because it definitely goes a long way towards curing my chronic grumpiness for awhile. The next one is my responsibility... boo to that. Razoos in Arlington better be ready because we are invading there next month!! :) This is one of the small things that keep me sane!

Hyenas:

     Even though my hair smells like smoke for days... this is one of my favorite places. More of that medical laughter I guess. If you go to the early show the smoking isn't too bad though. Me and my cousin and some friends went this past Friday. Not only did I see the hottest guy I've seen in awhile... well we listened to the best comedian we've heard there so far. And we go often. Rob Little. Luckily I'm not a laugh and pee your pants kind of person because I was definitely laughing hard enough. And the guy before him was really good too. Usually the opener is better than the talent and this time even though the opener was good, the talent was way better. I get free tickets every couple of months so if anyone would be interested in going next time let me know and then I'll let you know lol! This is one of the small things that keep me sane!!

Book Review:

          My favorite of the Lucky Harbor books so far. Of course there are more books but they haven't been released yet so I've only gotten to read the couple of samples Jill has been sweet enough to share. I will say that I am really excited for May when book 4 comes out. Book 3: Head Over Heels. Chloe and Sawyer. Chloe is the wild child and the younger sister of the three. If you are confused as to what three I'm talking about then you need to not only read my last couple of blogs but you need to read the first two books. Chloe thinks isn't ready to give up her wild hippyish lifestyle even though she finds herself spending more and more time at the inn she owns with her two sisters. Even though they are both newly engaged and annoying. Even more annoying is Lucky Harbors sherriff who she has no idea used to be the town bad boy who keeps arresting her. Sawyer is the best friend of the two men engaged to her sisters. Meaning he is always around. I love books where the hero and heroine hate each other... I really like this one because it's the third book and they have been hating on each other since the beginning of book one! Sooooooo go buy it. But get the other two first if you haven't read them. This is one of the small things that keep me sane!! :)



       

Monthly Dessert: Cashew Butterscotch Bars

     I used peanuts instead of cashews but it was still really really good and different. I of course used more peanuts than what it called for.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 - cups flour

3/4 - cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 2tbs - butter

1 - cup butterscotch chips



3/4 - cup corn syrup

1 - tsp water

1/4 - tsp salt

1 1/2 - cups cashew pieces

1 - cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350.

2.Spray 9x13 pan

3. Combine flour and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

4. Cut in butter until coarse & crumbly.

5. Press onto bottom of baking dish.

6.Bake 10 minutes. Remove and leave oven on.

7. Combine butterscotch chips, corn syrup, water and salt in a small saucepan and melt on low, stirring constantly until mixture is completely smooth.

8. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with nuts.

9. Bake 12-15 minutes until filling is hot and bubbly.

10. Remove from oven, place on wire rack to cool and sprinkle with white chocolate chips. cool and cut into bars

This is one of the small things that keep me sane!!

You want me to write something?? Take a number!

         

          I know I usually give lots of visuals in my blog but not this time. I just haven't had the time nor the inclination to take random storyboard pictures. They probably annoy you guys anyway. Speaking of annoying... writing this blog is annoying me today! I have done soooooo much writing the past couple of weeks that I just want to scream or cry or hit something. Whichever one takes less energy. That's the one I want. All my classes except math require a tremendous amount of writing. It's just essay after paper after essay after paper. I'm doing more than 1 paper a week and more than 3 essays a week and that's not counting the very little I'm getting to do on my special project. Yeah you know the one. It not only requires writing but it also requires my own thoughts. In fact it's made up ALL right from my very own brain (scary thought right?) where as the others I get to research and re-word what someone else has already thought up! So here I am a week and a half behind on my weekly blog session and I'm more annoyed about doing the blog than the fact that I'm behind. Which is something I don't like to be. Behind not annoyed. I think I actually kinda like being annoyed. Hmmm.

          I am going to be doing my bi-weekly book review on the second book to the series I talked about last time but I also want to talk about The Hunger Games. Which is the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy. One word... INTENSE. Those books were the worst and the best I have ever read. If that doesn't make sense to you then you haven't read them and you really should. The movie comes out next month. I'm going to be right there for the midnight premiere... along with my movie buddy Lionela! I'm so lucky to have someone like me that will pretty much watch anything. You don't know if a movie is good unless you watch it. And if it stinks then you can bet we had fun laughing the whole time. I really love going to the movies but there is nothing better than premiere night!! :)

          If you guys aren't going to join the March of dimes team then you need to donate. Under my name not those other people... I want to win a tshirt!! :) and help the babies of course. Although I would rather you join our team and walk with us. it's only like 3.5 miles. Plus you will be having so much fun you wont even realize you are doing something physical and you will even be sad when it's over. Yup they are that much fun!! So join or donate... those are the only 2 choices I'm giving you!

          Should I or should I not go brown. Meaning my hair of course. You've seen my complexion... my skin will never be brown. So I've been debating this question for almost a year and I always chicken out (same thing with the nose ring I've wanted for several years)! Sooo I'm thinking of going like a honey brown. Something that's not too different from my natural ugly red/brown/blonde. Am I too light skinned to be a brunette? I'll let you know next Monday if I chickened out or not!!

          Oh yeah... no matter what Diana says, all drive through car washes smell like urine. I've suspected this for years now but I know for sure now. I posted on my facebook about a month ago asking people if they thought they smelled like urine also and was told it was the car wash I was using. Well I'm not a car wash snob. I use whichever one is handy. There are 500 just in Burleson alone! So my experiment was to try 3 different ones in a 3 week period and see if ANY of them smelled good or at least better than my predicted urine theory. The great thing about experiments is that the truth always comes out! And the truth is.... Drive through car washes smell like urine. And not even human urine its like a mixture of all types. Important question: Will I stop using drive through car washes just because they smell like urine? Nope... I am not about to wash my own car in February. Maybe may and October but the other months are either too cold or too hot! the joys of being a Texan. You only have to hand wash your car two months out of the year... downside: it will smell like pee. I guess that's better than what it could smell like :)

          First blog of the month means a new recipe!!

7-Layer Mexican Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2 - lbs ground beef

1 - 4oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 - cup sour cream

1 - pkg taco seasoning

1/2 - cup bread crumbs

1 - egg

1 - can refried beans

1/2 - cup picante (i used a little more)

2 - cups shredded mexican blend cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375*.

2. Mix ground beef, cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning, salsa, egg, and refried beans in a

    large bowl until well combined.

3. Transfer to loaf pan and shape. or I sometimes use a casserole dish. whatever is handy.

4. Down the center make a 1/2 inch deep and 2 inch wide indention with a spoon or your finger.

5. Bake an hour.

6. Top with cheese and bake 25 more minutes

Bi-Weekly Book Recommendation!

          This is the second book in the lucky harbor series and I'm excited to let you know that there are 6 books altogether. With each book the story just keeps getting better and better because there are so many characters you already know so well. I think that's why I love series so much more than single title stand alones. If you read the first one then you already know Tara and Ford. Tara is the oldest of the 3 sisters and is keeping a secret... a secret that explains why she hates Ford who she claims to have never met before her and her sisters moved to the small coastal town of lucky harbor. But there is one thing about lucky harbor... no one has a secret. Ford is the best friend of Jax who happens to be the Jax we all met and fell in love with in the first book. Yeah the one that just so happens to be dating Tara's younger sister. Which means Tara has to put up with seeing Hot Sailor Ford all the time. I loved this book. I loved the next one even more. But you will have to wait until my next recommendation to hear about Chloe and Sawyer. Chloe = wild child, Sawyer = sherriff. :)