Sweet Reminders of Home

Hello new blogger interface!
We’re y’all as surprised as I was to find a whole new homepage to your blogger as I was?
What is this, Facebook?! 
Well can’t say I hate it.  I love the new page for writing our posts!It’s so BIG! 
So I wasn’t gonna post today, but I wanted to share something with y’all that someone did for me today.
That someone is Meg from Sweetly Complicated.
Her blog is one of my daily reads and I also follow her on Instagram.
Meg lives in Texas right now and she’s a teacher (just from that I knew we’d get along GREAT!)But I soon learned that she used to live in Orlando, then moved to Texas!
We’ve basically swapped states.
Anyway….today I was browsing Instagram before work and I saw Meg has posted a picture of the Texas sunset and a dandalion.(Ps. she is one heck of a photographer so you should def check out her work! She’s AMAZING!)
Anyway, I have no idea why, but her picture made me just tad homesick for Texas.(maybe more than just a tad).And I commented on her picture telling her just that.
Well, fast forward about 4 hours later when I’m checking my e-mail at work and I have an e-mail from Meg.

It’s entitled:  Sweet Reminders of Home!
And it has this message:
Good Morning! 

    After I saw your comment on my dandelion picture on instagram I wanted to send you this sweet reminder of home! I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday! 

XO

Meg 

With these two pictures attached:

Disclaimer: Photos belong to Meg! 🙂 Please don’t use them without asking her first!

I cannot tell you how touched I was upon seeing the pictures.I literally started tearing up at work and had to excuse myself to the ladies room.
Why?Because 1. Right now I’m missing home more than just a tad and seeing these beautiful Texas Bluebonnets was just too much.and 2. I thought to myself, “Wow, this is why I love blogging.”Because I get to meet such amazing girls, who have some of the biggest hearts in the world!
So Meg,THANK YOU!You made my day.

For Your Entertainment

On this fine Tuesday afternoon……I don’t really have anything special to talk about.
No funny stories, no updates, no advice, NADA!
So instead, I’m going to share one of my all time favorite movie scenes.
Unfortunately I couldn’t find the scene in its entirety.
So small clips will have to do.
Enjoy and most importantly…..
LAUGH!

FUNNIEST SCENE IN A MOVIE EVER! (what’s in between these two clips is even more hilarious.)
I’m pretty sure we spent the entire weekend quoting this movie and this scene in particular. 
If you haven’t seen Bridesmaids…please go out and do so ASAP.
Well now that I have wasted your time with this completely pointless and frivolous post.This is where I leave you.
Hopefully it at least brightened your day if you were having a bad one!

Scenes from the Weekend

Yet another weekend gone.And this weekend was superb, if I do say so myself!
Some newly engaged friends came into town for a wedding (not theirs obviously) and they were able to come to Orlando for 2 fun filled Disney days.
We hit up all 4 Disney parks in just 2 days.They left yesterday though so I’ve had 2 days to recharge my batteries.
So here are a few scenes from my weekend!
Friday: I had to work in the morning but I met up with everyone at Epcot afterwards:

We had a delicious dinner in Mexico.This is Carne Asada de Tampi…yeah I can’t remember the last word but it was a party in my mouth!

Then we headed home and attempted to watch The Muppets, but everyone passes out in the living room.

Saturday:We started the day at Hollywood Studios and finished up at Magic Kingdom.Actually we finished at our apartment with two 5 dollar Hot and Readys from Little Ceasars and watching Bridesmaids but whatev.

Sunday:Was a day to recharge the batteries.Slept in (until about 8:30, womp womp), ate leftover pizza, watched about 3 hours of Sex and the City, then finally got dressed and ran some errands.My roommate made this for a pre-dinner snack:

Baked Feta cheese with tomatoes and onions.Spread this on some french bread and it’s….
DELISH!
My uncle always says that it doesn’t look like I actually work. That I’m on a permanent vacation.And you know what?I am ok with that!
Till tomorrow! 🙂

Mexican Easter Fiesta

Thursday is here already! Oh how time flies when you’re having fun!Or when you have something to look forward to.Which I do! 🙂
So I told y’all that I spent Easter Sunday at Epcot.I really wish I had gone to church, but I haven’t found a church here in Orlando as of yet.Which is actually kind of sad because I’ve almost been here a year.And I’d really like to start going to church again, especially since I usually have Sundays off now.But I digress.I didn’t tell you what we did Sunday night.
My friends and I got together for a Mexican Easter Fiesta!
We had chips with salsa and guacamole.My friend Jordan made chicken enchiladas.And I made a recipe that my Mom makes all the time.
It’s called Spanish Rice Casserole.And I’ve decided to share the recipe with y’all because it’s super easy and yummy.
So here’s what you need:
1 pound hamburger1 bell pepper1 onion1 can of chopped tomatoes1 can of green chili*if you’re grocery store doesn’t have canned green chili, just grab 1 can of Rotel (it can be mild or hot, whichever you prefer).  It has both chopped tomatoes and green chili!  This is what I had to use because apparently Florida doesn’t sell canned green chili.  1 and half cups of rice1 and half cups of cheese (or more if you love cheese!)
And here’s what you do:
1. Cook rice according to the directions on the package2. Preheat oven to 350 3. Brown the hamburger4. Chop and sauté onion and bell pepper (You’ll probably only need to use half the onion)5. Add the two together (Or you can brown and sauté at the same time, that’s what I did)6. Drain the grease from the hamburger and the onion and bell pepper.7. Add the tomatoes and green chili (Or the Rotel)8. Mix everything together in a casserole dish9. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the dish. 10. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
SERVE AND ENJOY! 
Now I failed a little in the taking pictures of what we’re cooking if we’re planning on posting it on the blog department.But I did snap two pictures of the finished products for Instagram!

The Chicken Enchiladas are in the silver pans and my Spanish Rice Casserole is in the clear dish! 

It came out super yummy (though not as good as my momma’s. But let’s be real, when does that ever happen?!) .I did get a few compliments on it though! 
We finished up the night by watching not just one but TWO brand new episodes of GCB.
Well there ya have it.Our Mexican Easter Fiesta was a big success! 
Have a great Thursday! 

My Weekend in a Eggshell (Thank you Easter!)

Hi pretties!

I don’t know about y’all but I had a great weekend!
My cousin Holly came into town and I got to show her why I love Disney and Florida so much.She had never been to Disney before so it was fun showing it off to her.

We spent Easter at Epcot.They had Easter egg hunts and picture with the Easter bunny and his missus.We didn’t do that but we did take other cute pictures.  

So a couple of other random things from the weekend/Monday:
1. They’re painting my apartment complex and they finally are doing my building.I have to say…it looks AMAZING!  Much more Floridian now! 🙂
Before:

After:

2.  Suzanne and I have decided to start working out at least 3 times a week.We started yesterday with some stretching, an ab workout I found on my IPhone and then a 20 minute walk/run on the treadmill.  We’re starting small and will be adding new things to the workout each week.We will see how long this actually lasts because I am the WORST at sticking with a workout schedule!
I should be completely embarrassed to be posting this picture.But I’m not! :)And yes that is sweat on my forehead.

Here’s Suz post-workout.

3. I am going on a CRUISE!!!!!! 
I am beyond excited.  I’ve never been on one, so I am gonna need some help hints on how to make this the best vacation EVER!(Actually this is my first real vacation in a super long time.)Going on the cruise is me, my roommate Suz, her sister Valerie, and our friend Kelly.It’s a 5 day Carnival cruise to the Bahamas!We will be cruising from May 12-17.
Again any helpful hints in what to bring, what to expect, etc…would be greatly appreciated!

Hope you’ve all had a great Tuesday! 🙂

Book Swap!

I got the opportunity to participate in a Book Swap, hosted by the two lovely ladies in the button above! 

I was partnered up with Rebekah from Life with the Edwards.

I’m so glad I was partnered up with her because she’s super sweet and we have VERY similar taste in books!  

So go check out her blog! 🙂

She was super sweet and sent me a book I’ve been wanting to read for a while now!

She sent me:

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

via-Barnes and Noble

Lemme just tell you…I’ve already finished it! In like a day and half!

It was really good!  

I approve!

Thank you so much Rebekah!  I loved the book and hope you love the one I sent you as well! 

Yay for book swaps! 🙂

Picture a Day (Weeks 11,12, AND 13)

Happy Sunday ladies!
I hope your day has been relaxing and lovely.  I worked this morning. Which sounds terrible since it’s Sunday, but it was actually delightful.  I had a great group from Kentucky and I can honestly say it was one of my best programs!  
Speaking of programs, I think I need to do a work post soon.Y’all have no idea how work is going.  And since one of the purposes of this blog is to show my journey through life, including work I think I need to update on that.
For today though I realized I missed week 11 and 12 (whoops!)  of my Picture a Day project.So, y’all get week 11,12 AND 13! Woo Hoo!

3/12/12: I didn’t take this picture but it’s totally appropriate because today is Monica Beynaerts‘ birthday! Happy Birthday Monica! 🙂3/13/12: Homemade hamburgers and fries while packing and doing last minute things before Ashley Lynn Surber‘s wedding! 🙂

3/15/12: Reunited with my Best Friend! This is where the wedding festivities began! 

3/16/12: Bachelorette dinner party! 🙂

3/17/12: Wedding day!3/18/12: Celebrated my 24th Birthday with some great people! 🙂 Thank you all for helping me celebrate!

 

3/19/12: The day I became an IPhone owner! So far best decision EVER!3/20/12: Where I spent the entire day feeling a bit like death and sleeping! 🙂

3/21/12: Birthday Tea at The Garden View Tea Lounge with some of my favorite ladies! 🙂3/22/12: Midnight premier of The Hunger Games! May the odds be EVER in your favor!

 


3/23/12: Thank you Publix for your Buy 1 Get 1 Free specials! 🙂3/24/12: Life is so hard sometimes! Lounging by my pool.

3/25/12: This is what I love about Sundays.3/26/12: My work day included drawing Mickey Mouse. Yeah, my job is pretty sweet.

3/27/12: I can now buy the Harry Potter books on my Nook! 🙂 This is a good good day!3/28/12: Day o Fun at the Animal Kingdom.

3/29/12: Mini 6101 reunions are amazing.3/30/12: My all time favorite topiary at the Flower and Garden Festival3/31/12: Sushi and KU basketball with some great friends, makes for a great night

Well there ya have it! 
Ps. Writing this took way longer than it should have because of the individual pictures.Can anyone tell me why, when I try to upload and post the collages I make on Picnik it tells me I’ve run out of storage on Blogger.  But when I upload just single pictures it lets me do it with no problem?!
Strange and annoying.
Anyway, hope you all have an amazing Sunday afternoon! 🙂