Shawn and I have been so preoccupied with the unfortunate happenings of last Sunday that I completely neglected to thank him for an incredible birthday weekend.
I turned the big "26" last Thursday [November 13], and Shawn had an amazing weekend planned for me. My birthday dinner was the traditional Cheesecake Factory in Buckhead on Wednesday night with several friends: thank you for the great company Dan & Yulia, Rachel & Anthony, and Heather! If you haven't eaten there, you MUST try it. The portion sizes are amazing, the menu is endless (you know it's bad when the menu has pages just for advertising), the service is spectacular, and the desserts...perfection!
I was at home sick all day on my actual birthday (doesn't that suck?!), but I was definitely lifted up by the numerous phone calls from family and friends.
On Friday evening, Shawn surprised me with a weekend in Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, GA: Fantasy in Lights [you ride a trolley through the gardens at night and see a beautiful display of Christmas lights], a cute room in the Moutain Creek Lodge, a delightful massage, and a Saturday full of bike riding through the gardens.
I wanted to share some pictures of the weekend, so enjoy the slideshow.
Thanks to all who wished me a Happy Birthday! I was in great need of a smile after this past Sunday, so thank you for allowing me to remember and share the happier things in life.
BubbleShare: Share photos - Craft Ideas
Friday, November 21, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Warning...
I am sure that you are all aware of the harsh times that our economy is facing, and with these times come violence, invasions, theft, and mild "insanity" as people are trying to regain what they have lost or may potentially lose.
On Sunday evening around 7:30pm, our Jeep Cherokee was stolen from our driveway. This may sound "typical" for the area, and many of you may have had this happen to you, but you must understand that Shawn and I were at home - lights were on, we were visibly moving through the house, etc., and they took this from our own property knowing that there was the potential of being caught in the act.
The two people broke the back window, broke the cover off of the ignition, and somehow used this wrench to crank up the Jeep (no hot wiring anymore I guess)...and we didn't hear ANYTHING! We suffered through a long night of police reports, phone calls, sleep deprivity, & stress as you could imagine. The next day, I went to work & Shawn stayed home waiting for a locksmith - there was a spare housekey in the Jeep and we wanted to take all precautions. He began to ride his bike to the nearest ATM & found the car literally a couple of blocks away in a senior citizen residency (where we later discovered another car had been broken into 3 cars down from where they left ours, & another car was stolen after their first attempt failed). I guess they got tired of "joy-riding" in our Jeep? It was then that we confirmed that our house key was taken. Ask me how much I've slept since Sunday night?!
Long story short, our Jeep has been recovered, but it is not in driving condition, nor do we feel comfortable driving or sitting in a vehicle that has been raided (they went through every inch of the car), abused, & disrespected.
I wanted to share this story with you because these things are happening way too often in our beautiful city because of rough times and desperation. I also believe that many of these crooks are not being actively pursued by law enforcement, and they are feeling invincible. Many of you may say, "These things will never happen to me," but they most certainly do...and often times right in front of your face.
I have been a victim of burglary twice in the last two years - once a year ago when my condo was gutted of both replaceable and irreplaceable items, and now Sunday when our vehicle was taken. I can tell you that it's something that you never get over - having your privacy and personal space invaded & never feeling like those people have been punished for it.
I want you all to be safe...no matter where you are. As much as you may want to, you cannot assume that people "mean no harm." Pray daily, and have faith that you will be kept safe from violence & invasion. Please learn from us: our car was locked & secure, but we could have kept it in the garage with the other vehicle; do not leave valuables (incl. paperwork) inside your vehicle even for a few minutes; never leave your car running to warm it up; invest in a good alarm system. We were very blessed to have our car found and to have avoided any confrontation with the thieves, but others have not been as blessed as we have been. Please take care!!
On Sunday evening around 7:30pm, our Jeep Cherokee was stolen from our driveway. This may sound "typical" for the area, and many of you may have had this happen to you, but you must understand that Shawn and I were at home - lights were on, we were visibly moving through the house, etc., and they took this from our own property knowing that there was the potential of being caught in the act.
The two people broke the back window, broke the cover off of the ignition, and somehow used this wrench to crank up the Jeep (no hot wiring anymore I guess)...and we didn't hear ANYTHING! We suffered through a long night of police reports, phone calls, sleep deprivity, & stress as you could imagine. The next day, I went to work & Shawn stayed home waiting for a locksmith - there was a spare housekey in the Jeep and we wanted to take all precautions. He began to ride his bike to the nearest ATM & found the car literally a couple of blocks away in a senior citizen residency (where we later discovered another car had been broken into 3 cars down from where they left ours, & another car was stolen after their first attempt failed). I guess they got tired of "joy-riding" in our Jeep? It was then that we confirmed that our house key was taken. Ask me how much I've slept since Sunday night?!
Long story short, our Jeep has been recovered, but it is not in driving condition, nor do we feel comfortable driving or sitting in a vehicle that has been raided (they went through every inch of the car), abused, & disrespected.
I wanted to share this story with you because these things are happening way too often in our beautiful city because of rough times and desperation. I also believe that many of these crooks are not being actively pursued by law enforcement, and they are feeling invincible. Many of you may say, "These things will never happen to me," but they most certainly do...and often times right in front of your face.
I have been a victim of burglary twice in the last two years - once a year ago when my condo was gutted of both replaceable and irreplaceable items, and now Sunday when our vehicle was taken. I can tell you that it's something that you never get over - having your privacy and personal space invaded & never feeling like those people have been punished for it.
I want you all to be safe...no matter where you are. As much as you may want to, you cannot assume that people "mean no harm." Pray daily, and have faith that you will be kept safe from violence & invasion. Please learn from us: our car was locked & secure, but we could have kept it in the garage with the other vehicle; do not leave valuables (incl. paperwork) inside your vehicle even for a few minutes; never leave your car running to warm it up; invest in a good alarm system. We were very blessed to have our car found and to have avoided any confrontation with the thieves, but others have not been as blessed as we have been. Please take care!!
Friday, November 14, 2008
The good, the bad, and the 80's
Oh the lovely 80's. I've got admit that I don't remember as much of it as some, but I guess I claim to be an 80's girl since I was born then & took part in all of the 80's "hot & not so hot" lists. And I grew up during the 80's in Korea (which means you have to multiply the severity of the 80's by three), so let's just say my style was a hot mess. (Okay, okay...so maybe not so "hot", it was just a mess). I've got to say though, that I wouldn't change my life in the 80's for anything. I mean the style is coming back, right?! Pants are made tight enough that you don't even have to do the tight roll! Oh yea! Anyways, one of my best friends sent me a great e-mail that took me down that long, windy road of 80's memories. I hope you find it as humorous as I did. Enjoy!
You Know You (or your kids)Grew Up In the 80's IF:
1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.
2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton
3. You know that 'WOAH' comes from Joey on Blossom
4. If you ever watched 'Fraggle Rock'
5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
9. You played the game 'MASH'(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
11. You know the profound meaning of ' WAX ON , WAX OFF'
12. You wanted to be a Goonie.
13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (Some of us...head-to-toe)
14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off, his cheeks shifted and his nationality became questionable.
15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
16. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pail Kids in the schoolyard.
17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
18. You still get the urge to say 'NOT' after every sentence.
19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave
because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying 'I know you are, but what am I?'
23. You remember 'I've fallen and I can't get up'
24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool... and don't even flinch when people refer to them as 'NKOTB'
31. You knew all the characters names and
their life stories on 'Saved By The Bell,' The ORIGINAL class.
32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
33. You just sang those words to yourself.
34. You still sing 'We are the World'
35. You tight rolled or french cuffed your jeans. And still debate on which is the right term!
36. You owned a banana clip.
37. You remember 'Where's the Beef?'
38. You used to (and probably still do) say 'What you talkin' 'bout Willis?'
39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!
40. your hair looked like this for at least 1 school picture!
You Know You (or your kids)Grew Up In the 80's IF:
1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.
2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton
3. You know that 'WOAH' comes from Joey on Blossom
4. If you ever watched 'Fraggle Rock'
5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.
7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.
8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
9. You played the game 'MASH'(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)
10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.
11. You know the profound meaning of ' WAX ON , WAX OFF'
12. You wanted to be a Goonie.
13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (Some of us...head-to-toe)
14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off, his cheeks shifted and his nationality became questionable.
15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.
16. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pail Kids in the schoolyard.
17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.
18. You still get the urge to say 'NOT' after every sentence.
19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave
because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.
21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.
22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying 'I know you are, but what am I?'
23. You remember 'I've fallen and I can't get up'
24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.
26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.
27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.
28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.
29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.
30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool... and don't even flinch when people refer to them as 'NKOTB'
31. You knew all the characters names and
their life stories on 'Saved By The Bell,' The ORIGINAL class.
32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.
33. You just sang those words to yourself.
34. You still sing 'We are the World'
35. You tight rolled or french cuffed your jeans. And still debate on which is the right term!
36. You owned a banana clip.
37. You remember 'Where's the Beef?'
38. You used to (and probably still do) say 'What you talkin' 'bout Willis?'
39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!
40. your hair looked like this for at least 1 school picture!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Blog Help?!
If you are at all familiar with the way that our blog used to look, I am in need of some help!
For some reason, the sidebar to the right does not display the way that it should...you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom to see it (blog links, profile, etc.) I've tried everything (at least I think I have) to make it move, but I haven't had any luck.
Are there any "Blogger" experts out there that can talk me through this? I'm a bit OCD when it comes to things being balanced, so I can't stand to look at my own blog!! Crazy...I know. Please advise! Thanks a lot in advance!
For some reason, the sidebar to the right does not display the way that it should...you have to scroll all the way down to the bottom to see it (blog links, profile, etc.) I've tried everything (at least I think I have) to make it move, but I haven't had any luck.
Are there any "Blogger" experts out there that can talk me through this? I'm a bit OCD when it comes to things being balanced, so I can't stand to look at my own blog!! Crazy...I know. Please advise! Thanks a lot in advance!
Friday, November 7, 2008
La comida....mmmm
The change in temperature has inspired me to cook and bake some dishes that just warm me up inside. I wanted to share these recipes with anyone who has the time to try them out. Enjoy!
1. Lentejas (Lentil Soup):
This is a dish that I ate all the time during my stay in Spain several years ago. My señora would make this for us on cold days and I would be the last one at the table scraping the bottom of the pot...literally. It's super delicious!
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups dry lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups water1 carrot (optional), cut into bite size chunks
1 medium potato, cut into chunks slightly bigger than bite size
2-3 small chorizo sausages (Mexican or Spanish) or linguica sausage (Portuguese)
**I am not a chorizo fan, so I just used about a lb. of regular smoked sausage**
DIRECTIONS:
1. Soak the lentils in cold water for an hour prior to cooking.
2. Heat olive oil on low heat, add onion and garlic. Sautée until onion begins to look translucent and garlic browns a little.
3. Add water and lentils, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add potato & carrot (opt).
4. Add sausage, in one inch slices. **I did this a bit later to keep the flavor**
5. Cook until lentils get soft and expand and sausage filling strains against natural casing, about 40-45 minutes.
6. Serve warm with crusty bread.
1. Lentejas (Lentil Soup):
This is a dish that I ate all the time during my stay in Spain several years ago. My señora would make this for us on cold days and I would be the last one at the table scraping the bottom of the pot...literally. It's super delicious!
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups dry lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups water1 carrot (optional), cut into bite size chunks
1 medium potato, cut into chunks slightly bigger than bite size
2-3 small chorizo sausages (Mexican or Spanish) or linguica sausage (Portuguese)
**I am not a chorizo fan, so I just used about a lb. of regular smoked sausage**
DIRECTIONS:
1. Soak the lentils in cold water for an hour prior to cooking.
2. Heat olive oil on low heat, add onion and garlic. Sautée until onion begins to look translucent and garlic browns a little.
3. Add water and lentils, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add potato & carrot (opt).
4. Add sausage, in one inch slices. **I did this a bit later to keep the flavor**
5. Cook until lentils get soft and expand and sausage filling strains against natural casing, about 40-45 minutes.
6. Serve warm with crusty bread.
2. Banana bread: I know this is a classic and most of you probably have a recipe of your own for this, but I tried a new one yesterday. The bread is perfect to look at, delicious to eat, and left a beautiful aroma in my entire house (if you like the smell of bananas, of course)! I love eating this for a quick breakfast, a snack, or dessert.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. (1stick) soft butter
1/2 c. shortening
4 eggs
3 1/2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 1/4 c. mashed bananas (about 6 bananas)
1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tsp. vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
1. Generously butter 2 loaf pans.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In large bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar & vanilla until fluffly.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each.
5. Sift flour, salt and soda together.
6. Stir lemon juice into milk (it will curdles).
7. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk to batter mixture. Blend well.
8. Stir in bananas and nuts.
9. Pour into loaf pans. (It will rise a lot, so be sure you don't fill pans to top)
10. Bake loaves for 1 hour & 10 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
**This does freeze well, so make as much as you want**
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
A Day in History
Today is Election Day...
Please take the time today (if you haven't battled the lines already) to vote, no matter who you are voting for. Just remember that you can't complain about who is in office if you don't take the time VOTE!
a day to cast your vote...
a day to take a stand...
a way to voice what's important to You!
Please take the time today (if you haven't battled the lines already) to vote, no matter who you are voting for. Just remember that you can't complain about who is in office if you don't take the time VOTE!
Shawn & I hope that today is going to be a beautiful moment in history...
our first Black President.
Go Barack!
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