Sunrise Scribblings (Day 2-Part I)

I woke up stiff-necked and sore. With a decent ache from the dedicated, earnest effort needed for the rugged inclines of our completed treks, I'm reminded that I'm not as fit as I once was. The bed was comfy enough with plush pillows and cozy blankets. The room truly was a great, last minute find. (Thank you Mariah!) Yet, the mixture of the unfamiliar noises creeping about the hotel, the memories of the glorious day that had just ended, and the restless excitement of the day to come, all buzzed around in my head keeping me awake. Excitement and Caffeine must be cousins because both will do a remarkable number on you if you wish to sleep!

Easing the stiffness with some yoga stretches to loosen the ache, I'm already feeling a lot better. Mariah is still snuggled up in her bed with sweet slumber, so I'm doing my best to keep quiet. 

I have truly missed writing. It is a marvelous way to unwind. I am going to wrap this up and get a bit more rest before the second leg of our current adventure. Today we venture to the waterfall-of-waterfalls, massive, expansive, sheer power and awe of nature and God's artistry: Niagara.

Delve Into Ithaca (Day 1)

The lush green farmlands rolled along the horizon, kissed by the sun of a clear blue sky. With the tension of the recently concluded semester melting away as the miles extended on, Mariah and I were ecstatic to be on our way to some of the grandest hiking in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. Just a brief two hour drive from our small Pennsylvanian town, the landscape transported us to an entirely new world.

Robert Treman State Park was the first stop on our adventure.
This park is known for its dense woods, refreshing, scenic waterfalls, and the majestic beauty of Lucifer Falls, the park's grand falls that cascades 115 feet down its rock face.

Mariah Climbing

As we began our hike at the lower end of the park, we were greeted swiftly by an intense incline of strenuous steps. The forest smelt of ripe moss, pine, and rich, wet earth. The air was humid and warm, eased every so often with a gentle, cooling breeze from the distant storms that bellowed hello to us with the rolling of thunder. Time disappeared in this wooded haven. We relished in the beauty of it all.  Numerous roaring falls, plenty of small trails leading to the stoned shores of the river, the elegant mummer of  teaming streams, all accompanied by the pleasant ease of great conversation. We even savored the rush of a little cliff climbing. I am grateful to have such a remarkable friend like Mariah to share these sights with.



Lucifer Falls

Lucifer Falls is an outstanding giant. I had seen the falls previously last year, but this time more strength erupted from its banks. The gift of warmer weather brought a greater amount of water to add to the power of this breath-taking beast. Rushing down layer upon layer of slate rock face, the falls cascades into a beautiful gorge with cliffs rising hundred of feet around, opening up to the seemingly endless treetops of the woods we just emerged from. After drinking in the incredible sight of Lucifer Falls, Mariah and I continued a mere quarter mile to the top of the gorge for a quick rest, and then retraced our steps down the gorge. Brief, refreshing rainfalls joined us off and on. A welcoming sensation on our warm shoulders, sweet kisses washing away the sweat and salt gathered from the satisfying feat of the miles covered in the past few hours. Savoring that feeling of triumph that swells deep within the soul, radiating out through smiles and cheerful conversation, we reached the lower gorge and packed up for the next trail.



Majestic Watkins Glen

Our next stop was an extravagant and endless feast for the eyes. Watkins Glen is an immensely majestic wonderland of stone, water, and foliage. It is surreal and unimaginable how such a breathtaking place could possibly exist this side of Heaven. This is one of the most brilliant places I have ever experienced and have been blessed to gaze upon, leaving me forever changed.  The splendor of the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen, is bursting with abundant waterfalls, some fierce and powerful, many of which are plummeting down the gorge its water carved and created. Others located on the higher levels of the trail rain down with effortless elegance and beautiful form. We felt as if we had stepped into a scene from Lord of the Rings.


Fierce, Powerful

The trail is mark by a beautifully laid stoned pathway that hugs the hips of the river. The air hung cool upon us with the sunlight concealed behind the carved canyon walls and the white mist mingling in the air. Breaking out from beneath the cliffs and into higher, open path, the day grew warmer. Lush, green trees, shrubbery, and bright wildflowers adorn the gorge. Peculiar infant trees grow at odd angles out from the side of the cliff walls, a fascinating sight. One spectacular section of the trail is when it winds along the stone rock face and right behind one of the gushing falls. Thousands of gallons rushing right before you, filling you with awe from its mighty force. Leaning forward you can witness the water plummeting down into the depths of the gorge where it crashes with a power splash, and then continues its journey onward down the river. In comparison to our previous hike of steep inclines and declines, this trail was easier in the sense that it has a gradual, easy-going incline up until the last few yards. Do not be fooled, to reach the pinnacle of the trail we had to climb a brutal set of staircases known as "Jacobs Ladder". Mariah and I were left almost breathless, and needed a decent rest before the decent. The Gorge Trail is the number one thing I recommend venturing if you find yourself in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

 

Breathing in the calming serenity that surrounded us, we rested along the shores of Seneca Lake to  wind down the end of such an incredible day 



Seneca Lake

 

 On the drive back to our hotel, we saw a Chili's which struck us with immediate excitement. Famished from the long and adventurous day, we feasted like kings on excellent food, humorous conversation, and great company.

Now it's time to tuck in a get some rest to recharge for tomorrow's adventure.

Venture On.

 





Negotiation Skill Level: EPIC (Furniture purchase!)

Slamming Deals Yesterday!

 

I need to just share what a great day I had yesterday saving money!

 

We have one of those free grocery rewards cards at our local grocer. I usually only buy my meats and produce at this retailer because their pantry, pet, baby, and household items are higher priced than Wal-Mart. So, even though I don’t spend a lot of money there, the purchases do add up in rewards points. The points system here translates to cents off of gas purchases. Well, yesterday I needed to fill up really bad.

I was beyond the “Hm.. I really should get gas soon” point and was about to hit the “HOLY COW I’m probably going to run out of gas six blocks from the gas station” panic. You know that panic. We all dread that panic…I don’t normally let it get that low, but I had been lazy, I won’t lie.

Thankfully, I didn’t run out of gas, and puttered into the gas station that accepts my grocery rewards points. I pumped my gas and went into the teller, handed him my rewards card, he scanned it, then saw I was pulling out cash. He informed me, that this place gives you extra discounts if you are paying with cash! Other gas stations here don’t do that, so I was blown away! I ended up getting my gas for $3/gallon!! That’s $0.65 off per gallon! Thankfully I filled up with that discount! What, what!

 

Next big savvy save yesterday rocked, just rocked! I was so pumped up from it, and I really made Hubby proud!

We’ve been married just about four years now and we’ve never had a bedroom set. I KNOW. CRAZY. Well, I decided this year is the year we’re going to get one! We hadn’t before because we knew we were going to move eventually, well that day happened! We have our new home, so IT WAS TIME.

We shopped around here and there and just weren’t finding anything worth the “deal” the sellers were offering.

I used to work as a finance manager for a furniture company after I got out of the USMC, so I knew the tricks, I knew the gimmicks, I knew the mark-ups, and I knew what an accurate offer was, and what was unreasonable.

TIP 1: KNOW A GOOD AMOUNT ABOUT THE PRODUCT YOU ARE BUYING TO NOT FALL INTO ANY TRAPS.

 Example: We were interested in a particular bedroom set that was gorgeous. I asked the salesman what type of wood it was made out of. Want to know his answer was?

 “Hardwood.” .. … …  REALLY? Thank you Captain Obvious.

I held my tongue and proceeded. I then asked, “Okay, what type of hardwood is it?”

He threw out all these different types of wood, and then said he wasn’t entirely sure. Which happens, I understand.

I then asked if he would be able to look it up for me so that I could make an assessment on the durability and quality of the build.

He grew impatient, crossed his arms and huffed, “Well, I guess….” Add the dramatic sigh and cue temper tantrum. Sheesh.

In my head I thought, “Well, I guess you don’t want to make a sale buddy.” But, don’t worry, I held my tongue again.

He didn’t look it up and said we can continue to look around, and never came to check on us again. Needless to say, we didn’t purchase from there even though it was a gorgeous set.

My husband and I were not rude, not impatient, and not unreasonable. We just are well informed and needed information to make the best decision. Thankfully so.

So remember: KNOW A GOOD AMOUNT ABOUT THE PRODUCT YOU ARE BUYING TO NOT FALL INTO ANY TRAPS

 

Continuing on..

 

Tip 2: TIP: THE POWER OF CASH USED PROPERLY WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN

 Thankfully at lunch yesterday, a co-worker mentioned a little place a few towns over she picked up all of her furniture. We were worn out and pretty bummed, so we headed up to where my co-worker had mentioned. We walked in there and found a really nice set that was on sale for $1400. Now, I know they say “sale” and it’s still really marked up, so we haggled and haggled for a bit. We talked them down to $900.

Then I asked if they would do anything better if we paid-in-full cash, right now. This perked the salesman and owner, both were helping us. I mentioned that I know that any use of cards charges a percentage, even if it is a debit card. The card machine company charges a fee for the company to be able to use their card machines. (This is why a lot of places don’t accept AMEX because that company’s fees are nuts!) So, I whipped out my cash, and counted out $800. I said, “Well this is all I have. Would we be able to make a deal for $800?”

 They stood there and thought for a minute and then ACCEPTED!

We made out with an entire King Bedroom Suite for $800 flat! Shazaam!

 

Remember : THE POWER OF CASH USED PROPERLY WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN

Frugal Tip: Making Your Own Laundry Soap Mix

Say What?

Yes! You can make your own laundry soap mix! It's super easy, takes about 10mins, and I know it will last us for months!

After reading that one of my friends made their own laundry soap to save a few dollars, it motivated me to give it a try too.  Now, I knew laundry soap consisted of Borax and Baking Soda, but I found a recipe on Pinterest that sounded a little more appealing to me, again this is just the one I chose! There are many ways to make your own! I chose this one mainly because the pinners mentioned how CLEAN their clothes were and how FRESH their clothes smelled after.

After giving this my own try, I agree! My clothes are certainly clean and fresh!

For $20 I bought all the ingredients and made this HUGE batch of laundry soap. The best part, for a large load, you only put 2tbs of the mix into your wash! That's it!!! I'm guessing that this large batch will last me atleast eight months, maybe longer. $20 for eight months+? YES PLEASE!!! I usually buy the Arm and Hammer Clean Scent Liquid Detergent. $7 for a bottle that I can usually go through in three weeks; a month if I really stretch it out. So, having a great laundry soap that cuts my spending by a ton? YES PLEASE!!!

So, are you ready? It's easy! You can stop by Walmart and pick up all these items!

(NOTE: You will need a cheese grater also)


You will Need:

Cheese Grater ( I bought one specifically for this. Dollar Tree has them for just a buck!)

1 (4 lb 12 oz) Box of Borax

1 (3 lb 7 oz) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1 (3 lb) Container of OxyClean

2 (14.1 oz) Bars of Fels Naptha Soap

1 (4 lb) Box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

1-2 (55 oz) Bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener (I picked the purple kind)

Large bucket to mix it (I just used a storage tub)

How To:

First I poured in the Borax, Super Washing Soda, OxyClean, and Baking Soda. I shifted the tub around to mix the ingredients after I gave it a quick "stir" with a large wooden spoon.
Next, pour in the Purex Crystals.
The hardest part really is just grating the soap. It can get to be a pain, but it doesn't take too long if you keep at it. Just grate the soap on top of the laundry mix.
Give it another "shake and stir"

ALL DONE!!!

I put some of the mixture into the empty Purex Crystals bottle to keep by my washing machine, so I can store the large tub somewhere out of site. Mainly, out of the way so I don't trip on it! lol.
Again, it's just 1tbs for small/med loads and 2tbs for large/extra large loads. If you keep the Purex Crystals bottle, the lid can be your guide!

NOTE: For best results, fill washer with water and laundry soap mixture PRIOR to adding clothes. It will not harm your clothes, just for best results mix with the water prior! :)


I hope this inspired a few of you to give it a go! I'm glad I did!

Happy Saving!





I did not come up with this on my own! This came from a Pin on Pinterest.

Pregnancy Update!

Hey Bloggers,

   I'm in my 20th week of pregnancy and we are doing great! Praise the Lord!
My husband and I were blessed to find out that in May we will get to meet a beautiful baby girl, OUR baby girl!!! We are so deeply excited!

I want to start blogging about my pregnancy and feel like now would be a great time to start. Maybe some day my posts will help another mother-to-be.

I am starting a new exercise routine and I just finished it for the first time, and I have to say I'm feeling great. Now, this works for me, PLEASE don't ever over do yourself during pregnancy. If you are unsure ALWAYS ask your doctor if what you want to do is safe. It's not worth it to injury or harm yourself, or worse, your baby. Listen to your body and your baby to decide what works for you.


Mornings: Walk with Pup for 5 laps around the loop in our neighborhood; a little over a mile.
                   Prenatal Pilates: 2(10min) routines
                   Prenatal Yoga: Energizing sequence

Evening: Walk with Pup for 5 laps around the loop in our neighborhood
                Prenatal Yoga: Relaxation rountine
                Prenatal Yoga: Guided Meditation


I won't lie, I've not taken the best effort I could have as far as exercise thus far into my pregnancy, but my doctor says I am healthy, so I am going to start exercising now to be strong for birth.
                   

Nutrition: I have been taking a prenatal vitamin throughout my entire pregnancy and it has worked really well for me. I haven't experienced nausea from it, and when my tests came back, my iron levels were great. It also has the 100% of the folic acid requirement for pregnant women. WIN!!!

I am trying to improve on the amount of water I drink. I have rarely been drinking any soda. Every now and then I will have a small glass (resulting in about 1/2 cup-1cup of soda). This is just my personal choice. It is few and far inbetween, and honestly, lately I haven't the taste for it. I prefer water, apple juice, or my all time favorite right now, MILK!!! I have never had a greater love for milk than now! Haha, our little one is getting her Calcium! (NOTE: Always be mindful of how much milk you are drinking, mainly due to the SUGAR content in milk. Have you ever noticed HOW MUCH SUGAR is in Milk?? Crazy.)

I am incorporating more and more veggies and fruits each week. This week has been difficult because I am craving sweets. I am trying not to give in too much, but somedays, like today, I just give in. Eh, some how chocolate cake just tastes better when pregnant. LOL
The only thing my doctor says I have to keep trying to get more of is protein. I do eat protein, steak here, chicken there, but I am not getting all that they wish me to get EVERYDAY. So, I'm adding eggs to my breakfast and chicken/turkey to my salads and making sure meat is the main ingredient in our dinners.

FYI: Cravings? Haha, yes. I've had some.
The first trimester I could ONLY stomach HOT/Spicy food. Thai and Mexican were constant. I remember going to a local Mexican restaurant 10mins before they closed and begged them for a burrito (this place is great you get to build your own with meat and veggies and HOT SAUCE lol) and for a quesadilla..that I ate for breakfast the next morning, with an EXTRA helping of hot salsa to dip it in...best part, NO heartburn! WOO!
Second Trimester:
Now things get weird. I don't have regular cravings. It's things here and there. There were two weeks that I wanted NOTHING but Raisin Bran Crunch for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dessert. I can't tell you how many boxes I went through.
I also like mushrooms and sausage, not together, just in general. TWO Things I couldn't stand pre-pregnancy.

I can't fit in my jeans anymore, but after discovering maternity jeans, I may never go back to regular jeans... just saying... lol

I've gained 15 lbs and slowly increasing every week now. I am so happy and thankful that God is giving us a healthy baby girl!


I'm going to start posting more. I really miss blogging!

Baby girl is kicking my tummy right now! Time to go snack!!!

Ciao! Hope all of you are well!!!

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pepper Steak (Pix Included)

Hey all. As promised yesterday, here is the first of two Beef recipes I am making this week.

   

Slow-Cooker Pepper Steak

This recipe is a favorite in our home. It is my husband's favorite and it's really easy to make! Toss all of this in and cook for a few hours, serve over noodles or rice. It's perfect for a Sunday afternoon or a mid-week meal.

  I only made a half-recipe last night, so the photos will only show the half-recipe!

Here's How:





You Will Need:

- Large Crockpot
- 2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips ( I used Cubed Steak meat this time)

- Minced Garlic to taste (or Garlic Powder)

- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

- 1 cube beef bouillon

- 1/4 cup hot water

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch

- 2 medium onions (chopped)

- 2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped

- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, with liquid

- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or roughly 3 to 4 packets from your fave Chinese diner! LOL)

- 1 teaspoon white sugar

- 1 teaspoon salt

To Make:

 1)Start by adding the veggie oil to a large frying pan on High Heat and add meat.

 2)Brown on all sides

3) Pour contents of the skillet into your Crockpot, juice and all. It gives it a great flavor!

4) In a bowl, or I just use a coffee mug, mix hot water and beef bouillon cube.  Add corn starch. Pour in Crockpot and give it a quick swirl in with the meat. This will help thicken the sauce a bit.

5) Chop your veggies



6) Add vegetables, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt to Crockpot and give it a quick mix.  

7) Cover Crockpot and put on low heat for 5-6 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.

Your kitchen will start to smell so yummy as it's cooking!

8) Once cooked, I always transfer mine to a different dish just so that it doesn't cook too much.



To assemble:

Place noodles/rice at bottom of the bowl

Then add your freshly made Pepper Steak!

Now it's time to enjoy this warming, delicious, and delightful meal!

Buon Appetito!





Life-Update & Puppy Pomodoro: A Skunk Adventure

Hey guys! It's been a crazy week! Last night ending with a closing-shift and Pup covered in tomatoes.

I've got two recipes for you this week. I'm starting one right now and marinating the next for tomorrow. (posts to follow)

I normally work around 55 hours a week, so a girl gets pretty tired... That being said, I called in sick today. I do not feel well! I know it's just pure exhaustion. So I took a "me" day to relax, as much as I could, lol. I'm still doing laundry and vacuuming, but I baked a delicious pumpkin dessert, and cooking today is pretty relaxing to me.

                           Puppy Pomodoro
 Last night as we were closing up shop at my Part-time job, I get a phone call. My husband, in a haste to get the words out fast enough and express the urgency of the situation, told me that Pup got a skunk shower.
Now, I have never had this happen, the first thing I asked was, "Is he okay?!"
My husband confirmed that Pup was fine, just a little upset by the fumes. (Thank goodness he is okay)
 "Where is he?"
My husband then tells me that he is inside in our bathroom... As you can imagine, I was a little upset. Fresh skunk spray in our house!
Taking control of the situation, I asked him to move Pup to the guest bathroom and that I would run to the store and grab some tomato juice/sauce/SOMETHING tomato-ey to rid Pup of the noxious fumes. Praying it would work.
( I grabbed 4 cans of tomato puree {they were on sale!})

 Now, as soon as I pulled up to the house, I smelled the yucky skunk funk... I came inside and then we slathered Pup down in all four cans of tomato puree, let it soak in for about 10 mins, then we washed him with a little bit of Dawn dish soap.

Verdict: Tomato puree works great for getting rid of skunk smell!!! Puppy smelled great! The house.. well... the house wasn't bad, we opened all the windows and turned up the fans. But the bedroom, whew! Couldn't sleep in there! Hahhaa! Hubbs and I had to sleep on the couch for the night.


This morning the bedroom and house are sans skunk smell.

I hope Pup  has learned to stay away from the skunks, but who knows. He saw squirrels this morning and was in full chase! Oh, the life of an innocent Pup!

Baking Review

Here's just a quick review of all the baking I've done since I've started this blog! I'm getting back into the swing of things and will have more posted soon! Happy Baking!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

Want a slice of delicious Peanut Butter Cheesecake?

Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

Crust: Peanut Butter Oreos

Filling: Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Topping: Peanut Buter Ganache and Reese's PB cups!

Want to make this?

Here's how!

For The Crust

• 4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies (I used regular Oreos & Peanut Butter Oreos)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

For The Filling

• 2 lbs cream cheese, softened
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used JIFF!)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 Reese's Peanut Butter cups, broken into small pieces (Miniture size PB cups cut into 1/4's **NOT THE TEENY TINY ones)

For The Topping

• 16oz Reese's peanut butter baking chips
• 1 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
• The tiny Reese's cups

Directions:

**  Please Note. Plan ahead--cheesecake needs to chill for at least 4 hours. (I let it sit overnight)

   To Make The Crust

1) Heat oven to 275 degrees F

2) Combine crushed Oreo cookies that have been crushed or ground up with a food processor. Then mix with the melted butter.

3) Pat the crust onto the bottom and the sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

4) Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes.

(While this is baking, chop up your PB cups to get them ready! )

5) Once crust is done with it's quick bake, set aside to cool a little and get ready to make the filling!

 To Make The Filling

1) In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, and cream together until smooth.

2) Beat cream cheese into bowl with electric mixer until smooth.

3) Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4) Mix in vanilla

5) Fold in Reese's PB cups with rubber spatula.

6) Pour filling into prepared crust.

7) Place springform pan into a larger baking pan.

8) Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes up to about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. 

9) Bake for 1-1/2 hours, sometimes it needs an extra 15mins! Just check starting around 1-1/2 hours.

You want the center to be a little bit jiggly, firmer around the rest, and lightly brown on top.

10) Remove cheesecake from oven and from its' "water bath", and place springform pan ontop of wire cooling rack. Place a dish plate over the top to help it cool at a slower rate. This will help to prevent any unsightly cracks!

(I let mine sit out on my counter for a good two hours before placing it into the fridge.)

11) After it has sat out for a few hours on the counter, remove the springfoam pan. Place cheesecake in fridge for atleast 5 hours. I left mine in there over night.

Once your cheesecake is cool, get ready for the toppings!

 For The Topping:

1) Put peanut butter baking chips into a small bowl.

2) Bring heavy cream to a boil on the stove. As SOON as it comes to a boil, pour over baking chips and stir, stir, STIR!!!

3) You have just made your very own peanut butter ganache! Yummy!

You can let it sit for a few minutes, but don't let it sit too long or it will start to solidify.

4) Spread ganache all over the top and cover with peanut butter cups!

You can eat it now, or let it sit back in the fridge for a little bit. (30mins)

And There you go! A beautiful, delicious cheesecake!!

Tips for cutting, use a hot knife. I ran mine under the hot tap water. Make a cut, the wipe blade clean, and repeat! This makes clean cuts.

Happy eating!

Cheesecakes and New Rifle

Hey guys! I am having a great weekend with a little more time off this time around. Last weekend the hubs and I were in a wedding for a family member and it was beautiful!

We had a great time in the limo!

This weekend I only needed to work this morning, so I got to enjoy the afternoon at the gun range with my hubs. He just built a new 308 rifle and man, it has some kick! It's completely worth it because it's pretty darn accurate! After that I headed home and enjoyed a well deserved nap. LOL

We have been watching The Glades on Netflix. It was really slow at first, but it's getting better now as the show has progressed. We finished Breakout Kings too. The first few episodes were pretty bad, but just skip the first 2 or 3 episodes and you will be fine. It's a great show after that.

What are you watching on Netflix???


I haven't baked in a long while and I'm feeling up for some cheesecake. I have been wanting to try a peanut butter cheesecake, because come on...who doesn't love smooth creamy peanut butter? And what better way then indulging in a decadent cheesecake at the end of the day? Mmmm. I will post pictures after it's all  done up and decorated.

These are a mini-version.. YUMMY! (got this photo from google)


How are you guys doing?

Back for a Few

Hey guys. I apologize it's been so long. I am on turbo mode. I am working two jobs now! I work all the time, but it is paying off! I got my paychecks on Friday and I can say that this will be worth it. I plan on working my butt off for a year, maybe two to rack up some moolah and be debt-free ASAP! I'm tired of being a slave to loan and credit card payments. Nope! I'm ending that as soon as possible. I DETERMINE TO be DEBT FREE this time NEXT year!

Now, I am very tired. So, so tired. I'm not used to this yet, but I'll get into a routine.

I hope you all have been well. I miss blogging and reading your blogs! I will do my best to get back into it. Blogging and hearing from you helps keep me motivated!

Well, got to run. I need to get my clothes ready for my jobs and get some shut-eye!

Ciao!!

Booking Italy.....

Ah! This is so exciting!

So far I have our flights booked and our hotel for Roma booked!

It's fantastic! We will have a view of St. Peter's Basilica from our window!

 It's in walking distance to the Roman Forum and the Sistine Chapel!


Now we're going to book our train tickets and our hotel for Firenze! I've found this splendid B&B that's in the middle of Florence, within walking distance of great art and history!

A Wedding Shower Adventure...Mixed with a few Disasters...!

Today one of our family members had a Jack &  Jill Wedding shower and it was a blast! But getting everything together wasn't so easy....

Last night I started working on their cake. All was going well...the house smelled warm and yummy from freshly made cake and creamy icing. I was very happy because it wasn't too late and normally when working on a cake, I lose a little bit of sleep due to baking late to ensure freshness....well all this came crashing down...LITERALLY, around midnight! I dropped the cake! My stomach sank! I just stared at the floor at this giant mess, and as if on cue, BAM! My lab puppy came running in trying to help me clean. Haha, such a sweet pup..
So I stayed up until 2am finishing up the beginning of this cake...baking and base frosting...

I had been up since 4 the previous morning, so sleep deprivation was setting in and by the time the Poke'mon theme song (of all things???) was playing in my head and I was humming along...yes...my marbles had no doubt been lost... lol

This morning, I noticed I was out of a lot of my tools for some reason? I don't know if I misplaced them, or if the evil moving fairy stole things during our move this past January... (wow..has it really been that long since I've made a cake??? jeez...)

All in all, the cake came together in time...JUST in time...

I was winging it and it turned out alright..everyone loved it and said it was SUPER delicious, but my perfectionism was bugging me because it didn't turn out at all how I planned and my piping skills need some serious work! But it turned out pretty good. The Bride and Groom loved it and almost every bit of this double-layer 24x12'' cake was eaten, and/or taken home!

Whew...I still got it... :-)

Piping needs some serious work, but it was still super yummy!

BUT there was one more thing... up here in the northeast..there is a dish called "Whimpies" which are really similar, if not the same exact thing, as Sloppe-Joes. (I am not ultimately sure because I still have yet to try one.)
But my husband went to pick up a generous few pounds of this meaty-sauce concoction in my car. I'm not sure of all the details, but I do know that at least 2 pound of this stuff went SPLASH all over the floor of my car! I don't know if it was the lack of sleep, or just the overload of stress flying around in my body, (or the whole...marbles being lost earlier...lol) but all I could do was LAUGH. I didn't even get mad! ..But once again Puppy to the rescue!  He has had one big buffet of AWESOME today, but his little belly hurt (wouldn't yours?) and was napping by the time we got home.


 The Bride & Groom were so happy! Kathy looked stunning in her teal crochet dress, and a happy, ear-to-ear grinning Dave was standing by her side. To the happy couple, Congrats again!

All in all it was a wonderful time! The girls did an amazing job, the place looked fabulous! The food was delicious and the cookies were scrumptious. Everyone had a good laugh at the games, and it was a blast! The place was beautiful and everyone had a great time.

 Now after having a long nap, me and pup, are both sane again! LOL!


And I will continue practicing...

So...It's HAPPENING!!!!

As many of you know, I have been dreaming of going to Italy for a very long time. Well, I very excited to declare that I am going to be able to spend my birthday in Italia this year!!!!

With four short months to go, I'm soaking in as much of the Italian language as I can!!

We got a great deal by flying out of a different airport, one that is not so close, but well worth the difference in price. It's $400 cheaper! I am completely okay with spending $30 in gas...

It is going to be a great adventure! Seven whole days in Italy :) I am very, very excited! Plus, we're making a pit-stop in Finland! Haahaha random, but we'll take it!

My sister and I were looking up Finnish phrases..it's a very interesting language. How to say "no" in Finnish.. (sounds like:) "ey"...so I started cracking up because if they ever saw "Happy Days" I bet they were very confused... "EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"..." I see them looking at each other like..."Why does he keep saying 'no...' every time he walks into a room?"
I found that quite comical.



Now I just need to save for train tickets and some spending money!

I will be posting more about this as things come together!

June Goals!

Here are my June Goals!

Fitness: 
- walk at least 45  miles
- yoga at least 3 times a week
- some form of intense workout 2x a week


I NEED TO GET INTO SHAPE!!

Financial: 
-save $200 toward vacation

Faith:
-finish reading the book of Exodus
-Wake up earlier to start the day off with some Bible reading and prayer

Fun:
- Study Italian at least one hour per day! (so far so good!)
-Go swimming!!
-Shoot more at the range :)

Wrap-up on May Goals

Here's my Goal wrap-up!

Fitness: 
- walk at least 30 miles this month. (SUCCESS!!! I walked over 60miles this month!!)
- Zumba! Zumba! Zumba! (no zumba...FAIL)

Financial: 
-save another $200 into the emergency fund (Success!)
-have $300 set aside by the end of this month for when my sis comes to visit because we have some fun road trips planned. (SUCCESS! We only went to NYC and it was AWESOME!!)

Faith:
-finish reading the book of Exodus (FAIL. I need to start reading my Bible more.)
-Wake up earlier to start the day off with some Bible reading and prayer  (This happened a lot in May, but not everyday like I had hoped. FAIL)

Fun:
- read 3 more books this month! (FAIL)
-blog at least weekly (I have been slacking) (FAIL)
-go shooting more often with the hubbs  (WIN)
-have a great time at our Vow Renewal at the latter part of the month (YES!!!)
-soak up as much fun as I can with my mom and sister when they come to visit! (Had a great time while they were here)



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