Totally Gave Up

Totally gave up on blog-a-day for December. My final grades are in though for the semester. I got a C in both classes. A little bummed about Biology because I thought I did way better than that but my Spanish.. hell I will take it. Thank god I passed. That is all that matters!!!! I have been keeping up on my photo-a-day on Instagram and also on my new beauty blog. You can follow that HERE!

My Letter to Dean McDermott

I have only done this a few times on my blog but after watching this season of True Tori I think this is needed. 

To Dean:

     Let's me start off by saying that I absolutely love you. I can't wait to purchase your cookbook. Ok now to what I want to say... Stop beating yourself up over the mistakes you've made!! We have all made mistakes. I feel bad for you because you are in the spotlight. No one is perfect and everyone needs to understand that. All these people who are bashing you have made mistakes and have messed up at some point. You have something a lot of people don't have. You have an amazing support system that is behind you 100%. Tori has stuck by you when she could of just left and left you alone but she loves you true and whole-heartedly. Also you are an inspiration to your kids even if you don't know it yet. Some day they will read all about this and truely understand what happened but then they can look up and see that through all the adversity and all the drama their parents sruck it out and made it through it all. That shows them not to give up on something they really love. If they love someone, no matter what, always be there for them. Dean you are incredibly strong but I know it's hard. When you are having a bad day just look at your kids, your beautiful wife and fans like myself who have stuck behind you because we have all made mistakes as well. WE LOVE YOU!!

Jessica Thomson 

Have I Accomplished My 2014 Resolutions?

1. Paying off more of my debt. (In a couple of months I will have 1 credit card left to pay off)
2. Lose more weight. (I've been doing pretty good and starting to eat healthier.)
3. Obtain clear skin. (Working towards that with my Clarisonic I got for Christmas.)
4. Pick up photography again. (I miss the days when I was at peace because I was taking pictures.)
5. Try and reach 20,000 tweets on Twitter. (Stupid I know, but this is my goal.)
6. Try at least 3 new recipes a month. (Got to widen my food pallet.)


Above are my resolutions from 2014. I will say I did 70% of my resolutions.

1. I paid off said credit card and am left with 1. Which by the way is almost under $1000. Slowly it will go away too. [CHECK]

2. Losing weight has been a struggle for me. When you live in a house with people who would rather eat fast food then cook something. And since I don't have job that I can go out and buy stuff to make and the house is never full of common necessities it hard to lose weight the right way. I guess I could of just not ate at all but that's not healthy.

3. My skin is way better than what it has been in years past. It isn't clear with no problems and I do get the monthly breakouts due to hormones but its better than before and thats all that matters. [CHECK]

4. I guess you can say I picked up some photography this year. I went on vacation and took tons of photos. Some I am really proud of and I took them all on my phone. If I had an amazing camera like the Nikon that was on sale during Black Friday I would of taken some amazing shot. [Semi CHECK]

5. Totally blew 20,000 tweets out of the water. I am actually trying to reach 25,000 by the end of the year but I may not make it. Still made my goal. Haha. It was so petty to make this goal but I made it. I also started to very successful Chicago Fire and Chicago PD fan pages on twitter as well. Live tweeting every week with the shows is a lot of fun and I have met some cool people through it. [CHECK]

6. The beginning of the year started out wonderfully with trying new recipes... but as the months went on the recipes did not. Still trying new recipes here and there just not posting about them like I used too. Shame on me.


So I guess this year wasn't as bad as I thought in the post I made about 10 minutes ago about it. I guess I better start putting together a list of new resolutions for 2015.

Where Did 2014 Go?

I swear I feel like 2014 just started. I was looking back on my 2014 album on Facebook last night to do some organizing and was thinking to myself "Man how things have changed in a year". It's crazy to see that just 11 measly months can make the biggest difference in life. I haven't even looked back at my resolutions from January to see if I accomplished any of them... if I know myself.... probably not. Hahah. I am horrible about sticking to resolutions. I think once I finish school and get myself on a schedule I may be able to keep some things together. I guess I will have to go and check those out. I know I did blog more this year... well at least I think I did.. again probably not. I was so focused on school this year that really nothing else mattered. I only have 2 classes I have to take and then I can transfer. Do you know how exciting this is for me? I have been at this for over 10 years and am finally going to be leaving the Junior College system and moving up to bigger and better things. Yes 10 years is a long time but when you did things like I did where you took stupid classes that really didn't mean anything and took a few semesters off here and there the time adds up quickly. I will eventually be done and then its off to work in the real world. My only fear is that once I finish school and get my degree I won't want to teach History anymore. Then what will I do? I will have nothing to fall back on. Maybe at that point I'll go to make up school or something. Ha. Yeah who am I kidding.

Lush "Can't Remember The Name" Bubble Bar

I looked up on the website for the name of this and it is no longer on there so I wonder if it's been discontinued. Anyways... I've used the bubble bar before and I love it. I love bubbles and I love the smell and it's one of the few ways I can take a bubble bath without my skin goin ape shit crazy because it's irritated. If I can find it again I will buy it again. 

Grade: A

Lush "Space Girl" Bath Bomb

I used this bath bomb a few nights ago. I haven't gotten a chance to post it. Way too crazy and too much going on. I really really really liked this one besides the glitter but it wasn't that bad. I could handle it, and the smell was amazing and it made the water a pretty shade of purple. I would buy it again in a heart beat. 

Grade: B

Review: Lush "Star Light Star Bright" Bath Melt

Gah!! Worst idea ever! Ok with that being said.... Moving on....

 

This bath melt was amazing in smell and the feeling it left in the water was great. The glitter on the other hand.... WAY TOO MUCH!!!! It's the reason why I only got to enjoy the bath for less than 10 minutes. I couldn't take the glitter anymore. I stood in the shower for 10 minutes and scrubed my little heart out and I am still covered in glitter. It won't go away. And yes it's in places glitter should never be. (I know TMI)! Other than the glitter it's an amazing piece of bath melt. 

Grade: C.... Can't get passed the glitter

Won't buy this particular one again. 

Review: Lush "Ickle Baby Bot" Bath Bomb

I totally forgot to take a picture before I stuck it in my bath last night so this one will have to do. I think this one is probably my least favorite so far. I was not impressed. It really didn't do a whole lot for the bath. It did smell good though when you first stuck it in the bath, after a while the smell just disappeared. I really don't have much to say about this Bomb.

Grade: D 

Will no be repurchasing 

Review: Lush "Avobath" Bath Bomb

So tonight after a long day at school I decided to treat myself to yet another bath bomb from Lush Cosmetics. I think this has taken over as my favorite bath bomb. It smells like a box of Fruit Loops(and yes I mean the cereal). It turned the bath water and very lovely shade of green and even had some shimmer in it. It wasn't like nasty huge chicks of glitter that stuck everywhere it was just a sheen of shimmer. Very classy. I did however after clean myself off with the shower because I didn't want to go to bed covered in glitter. 

Grade: definitely an A.

Will be buying this one again for sure. 

Review: Lush "Sex Bomb" Bath Bomb

I've decided that I'm going to review Lush bath bombs, melts, and bubble bars so I know which ones to purchase again. I have a crap ton of them. I'm excited to try them all.

Tonight I tried the "Sex Bomb" bath bomb. It's one I've never tried before. It smelled amazing so I thought why the hell not. I dropped it in the bath and it instantly turned a very pretty shade of purplish pink. I thought because of the size of the bomb it would take forever to dissolve, I was wrong. It was gone before I ever turned the bath water off. The smell was intoxicating but it loved it. The only downfall I had with it and could be a deal breaker on whether I buy it again or not was the flower petals in the bomb itself. I thought he would dissolve just like the rest of it... NOPE! Wrong again. They turned into this gel like consistency and never dissolved. I ended up plucking them out of my bath and throwing them away. To be honest they kind of freaked me out. I hated how they felt when brushed up against my legs or back. Ick. I would give the "Sex Bomb" a solid 'C' grade and it goes on a maybe repurchasing it again list. 

Bleh, Ugh, Bleh

Well we are well into the fall semester and let me just say I am doing way better in Biology than Spanish. I just cant seem to pick up on Spanish. If I see a sentence and I have to fill in blanks I am good to go but when I have to form the sentence... thats where I am faltering. I do not understand why I am not getting it. I got 80% or higher on every set of assignments... exactly 80% on assignment group 3. That was the biggest group of assignments at 91. The other 2 were 85% or higher. Still B work. But being gone and missing a quiz, an exam, and 2 book assignments it has me at an F. It doesn't make sense. Can someone figure it out for me please? Thank you!

Updated Bucket List [10.2.2014]

01.    Experience Real Honest Love

02.    Said “I Love You” and meant it.

03.    Stay up all night long enough to see the sun rise.

04.    Sleep Under The Stars

05.    Watch a meteor shower

06.    Go Sky diving
07.    Kiss passionately in the rain
08.    Get flowers for no reason

09.    Speak more than one language
10.    Save someone’s life
11.    Shower in a waterfall
12.    Catch a ball in the stands of a Baseball Game
13.    Ride a mechanical bull
14.    Stand in Times Square

15.    Pick up Photography
16.    Spend my birthday in another country
17.    Just pick up and leave for a weekend

18.    Go to Italy
19.    Get a tattoo

20.    Visit the Sydney Opera House

21.    Drive a Race Car

22.    Go to the Daytona 500 & Indy 500
23.    See Ground Zero
24.    Have a perfect wedding
25.    See a Dancing with the Stars Finale LIVE
26.    Meet Dustin Pedroia

27.    Go to a game at Fenway Park

28.    Visit the Grand Ole Opry
29.    Go to the Country Music Awards in Nashville
30.    Buy my own house
31.    Get a Masters degree in History
32.    See Garth Brooks LIVE
33.    Stand in Times Square for New Years
34.    Go on a Hot Air Balloon ride
35.    Camp on a beach in Hawaii or Aruba
36.    Write a letter to a Solider.

37.    Go to the Olympics
38.    Grow a huge garden of veggies to cook with
39.    Write a book and have it published
40.    Visit Kennedy Space Center

41.   See the Mona Lisa in person
42.    Run in a field of Daisys
43.    Go on a Cruise
44.    Go to Mardi Gras
45.    Walk across Abbey Road!
46.    Take a International cooking class.
47.    Go to a Hollywood Movie Premiere
48.    SUN DANCE MUSIC FESTIVAL!!!
49.    Spin a globe, put my finger on it and travel to wear it lands!
50.    Visit Arlington National Cemetery 

Day 7

Well day 7 was all about the trip home. Not much to say though. Flight was only a few minutes late but we actually landed early in SFO. No problems on the plane or anything. Drove home Sunday night so I could sleep in my bed. It was so nice. :) 

Day 6

Yesterday was kind of a lazy day. We didn't wake up until 9 and then went to breakfast as the Cosmic Diner. Had the best mushroom, tomato, and Swiss cheese omelet. It was delicious. Then we came back to the hotel to start getting ready for Jersey Boys. Headed back down the street to the show. JERSEY BOYS WAS AMAZING! I'm not even kidding. I loved it. Amazing voices. I would go and see it again and again if I lived here. After that we headed back to the hotel for a little bit before our dinner reservations at Rosie O'Grady's. This is where the trouble began. We tried to get an elevator to go down. Got on and by the time we got to the 12th floor too many people on there and it was stopping at every floor for no reason. So we got off. Waited 10 minutes and no other elevator came. We walked all the way to the 5th floor. Yes grandma took the stairs which really made me angry. Couldn't go any farther than the 5th floor unless it was an emergency. We waited another 10 minutes before some workers walked by. Asked them what the hell was going on. They needed up giving us a ride in the service elevator to the lobby. Oh I was so angry. I complained to the front desk which really got me no where. Finally made it to dinner. I had French Onion Soup and Chicken Parm. Grandma had Chicken Malinese. We shared some onion rings as well. I totally cleaned my plate. I was starving. Headed back to the hot and got everything packed and ready to head to the airport. We are both ready to get out of here and go home. It has not been the best trip and we both know it. Oh well. It was nice to get away though. 

Day 5

Well woke up this morning with my hip not feeling a whole lot better. We were just about to cancel the plans on going to Lower Manhattan but then we saw they had a shuttle that had a pick up down the street. We figured that would be the best idea to see what we wanted to see just without walking. $50 well spent let me tell you. The only thing we didn't see that we wanted to see was the 9/11 memorial. But with all the protest going on in NYC currently we decided not to even get off the bus. We did get off at the Statue of Liberty stop. Instead of taking the ferry to the island we took the Staten Island ferry which took us right by Lady Liberty. After arriving back from Staten Island we got back on the bus and took it all the way to Central Park. It was supposed to go by the United Nations Plaza but because of the Climate Summit all the roads near there were closed. So we drove through about 6 protest that we saw quite a few people getting arrested. We arrived in Central Park and walked a little walkway through a small portion of the Park and then headed back to the hotel to try and figure out what we wanted for dinner. There weren't many off the wall places on the way back to the hotel or around it, and also with how my hip was acting up we didn't want to walk too far. We decided that Olive Garden was the place to go. Tomorrow we are going to try and venture for breakfast and for dinner it's our one really nice dinner. Also I took Grandma to M&M World. She was so overwhelmed it was kind of funny. After that we came back and I did some homework... yes I did homework because I cannot fall behind in my classes. I am already going to have to go home and work my ass off on Spanish homework. Tomorrow is our Broadway show and then back to pack. WE HEAD HOME ON SUNDAY!!!!

Day 3 & 4

Day 3: Well today was all about getting ready for the Red Sox game. We started the day at Panera, as usual. Then we decided to hit Marshalls one more time(we went there everyday we were in Boston and bought something everyday). From there we walked to Grandma's old college which has now expanded a lot more than she remembered. Right across the street from there was the bar from "Cheers". Of course we had to stop. After that we walked through Boston Common one last time and people watched. Then back to the hotel from the game. It was a dream come true for me to see a game at Fenway Park. We did some shopping on Yawkey Way. Then headed into the stadium. It just so happened that it was the night they let all the fans on the field to meet some of the players. I got to meet freaking Dustin Pedroia. You have no idea how excited I was. Then the game started... Omg... Most boring and long baseball game I've ever been too. No cheering, no music, it was dead. Sadly we left after the 3rd inning. The game had already been playing almost 2 hours at that point. Oh well. I went and I saw. 

Day 4: Today we headed to NYC. It didn't start out all that great though. Someone started calling out room at like 5:30am and the hanging up. I was not a happy person. So we grabbed a taco and headed to the train station. After 4 hours on the train we finally arrived at Penn Station. Grabbed a taxi to our hotel. Couldn't check in so we left our luggage with them and then headed out for a while. Trekked the 10 blocks to Mario Badescu only to find out they are closed today and tomorrow. SUPER BUMMED. Then we got stuck in the middle of a motorcade of someone important. Finally got our room, Grandma napped for a while then we headed to Cosmic Diner. Good food!! We were going to head down to Times Square but after I got up from the table at dinner I felt like my hip was out of place and I almost fell over. We figured it would be best to head back to the hotel and relax for the day. Oh... And another highlight of the day was that someone has threatened to bomb the transit system of NY and London. So we decided we will stay clear from the subway system and grab a bus. This trip has been an interesting one. I'm ready to get on a plane and head home right about now. 

Day 2

Well today was a long long day. Up and out of the hotel by 9. Stopped and Panera to get some breakfast and then off to CVS to get some anti itch cream for a bug bite I either got on the plane or in the airport. Who knows. Then we were off to walk to Freedom Trail. Don't ever let someone tell you it's only 2.5 miles... Yeah sure. I don't think so. We did all of it but the last mile or so. We were both tired by that point so we turned around and headed back to the hotel. Did some shopping down at Quincy market and North market. Then we hit up the same Italian restruant for dinner tonight as we did last night. Don't change something that's good... Plus we really didn't feel like walking very far and finding a new place to eat. We stopped at Ben and Jerry's on the way home for a scoop of ice cream. Now we sit watching Red Sox baseball on TV. Tomorrow night we will be at the game. I'm so excited. I know it's only day 2 of my trip and I am having fun but I'm ready to head back home and sleep in my own bed. Hotel beds just aren't comfy. 

Flight + Day 1

Well our night last night started out lovely. Arrived at SFO to find out our flight was delayed leaving JFK by about an hour and a half. Ok... No problem. Then after the plane showed up a drunk crazy lady was told she was not allowed to board the plane because of how drunk she was. This just caused a bigger problem. She fought with the JetBlue working for a good while then when he wasn't looking tried to run through the doors and onto the plane. This delayed us by another hour until they got her taken care of. Not a bad flight though. Couldn't sleep for shit so I am literally running on no sleep. Arrived at Boston Logan Airport at about 9 this morning. Took my first ever taxi cab ride. It wasn't as bad as everyone said it would be or said their experience was. Got to check into our hotel super early. That was nice. Then we went out for a little while. Cruised down Boylston Street and saw where the Boston Marathon bombings took place and saw the marathon finish line. Did some shopping at Nordstrom Rack too. Got a cute shirt. Came back to the hotel and grandma napped for a while. I tried but that didn't go over well. Then I was forced out of the hotel room to get dinner... Totally worth it. Best Italian food I've ever had. Then we decided to walk through Boston Commons and to the capital building which was really pretty in the sunset light. Did some more walking... All in all we walked over 6 miles today. My feet are a little tired. Also did some souvenir shopping. I'm so ready for bed and it's only 8pm. That's 5pm back at home. Bleh. 

It's Been A While

Wow! It has been a while since I actually sat down and blogged. I have been so busy with school which is actually going really well. I am enjoying Biology a lot more than I thought I would and Spanish isn't that bad. I have met a great group of girls. Anyways.... so tomorrow I leave for my trip. I am so excited. It has been a long time coming to prepare for this trip. I feel like it was just yesterday when it was a distant memory just being talked about. I cannot wait to be on the East Coast and out of the hell hole of a house. It's a fucking mad house with too many people who fucking don't do shit to help out. I can only imagine what it's going to look like when I get home because I do a lot of the cleaning around here. I am not even going to think about it now. I have a week to relax and enjoy myself. That is exactly what I am going to do.

Maybe if I have wifi while I am there I will blog!

Bags are packed and ready to go!

Thinking A Lot Lately

I have been thinking a lot lately about starting a Vlog/makeup channel on youtube. I see a bunch of people who have done it. Some people who are just like me... so why can't I do it? I'm sure no one would watch them but oh well.

Rest In Pease Robin Williams

I never thought in a million years today would be the day I would make the post about losing an American legend. Robin Williams took his own life today. The coroner suspects that he hung himself. Now whether they found him hanging or not, it has not been said but it looked like a suicide. For the millions of us who never got to meet Mr. Williams but were graced with his smile on tv and in film, may not be able to grasp this reality. I can step foot into the hole his family feels like they are in. Now I know they will probably never see this but for me it will help me get past this first stage of grief, confusion. My uncle, who was also my godfather, took his own life back in 2006. He too was found hanging in his garage. He too felt like he had no other way out. A smile on his face to let everyone know he was ok when deep down he was slowly dying inside. I'm sure this is how Mr. Williams felt on his final days. Smiled at everyone and went about his normal business. No one suspected a thing. Do I think he took the cowards way out? No! He took the only way out he could see. Have I lost respect for what he did? Again no. He fought his demons for years and in the end his demons won the battle. Yes the demons may have taken over our heart today but when we wake up tomorrow we will always remember the good things about Robin Williams. He loved to make everyone smile. He cares about everyone else before himself but sill remember to care for himself. He was a father, brother, son, husband, friend, and hero. A true legend in the eyes of America and all over the world. It still does not seem real. But as the weeks, days, months and years go by we will always remember the boy who grew up to become a star but in the end went to spend eternity with his lost boys in Neverland. 

Pray for Ella Barna

So I just got done watching Kandee Johnson's video that she did when she went to visit Ella Barna. Ella is a 12 year old girl who has been fighting cancer since she was 8 months old. Watching the video had me in tears because at one point she began to cry. This little girl has been through so much in her life. I checked out her social media accounts and I can say that I have never been so humbled by one person. When something bad happens to me I sometimes think I'm never going to get past it. I will never think that again. After hearing Ella's story and everything she has been through and still going through makes me realize that my life really isn't that bad and that their are people out there who are having such a worse time then I am and they are keeping a smile on their faces and moving forward each and every day because that is what they have to do to survive. Sitting here just thinking about her story makes me so sad and angry at god for making someone this precious and this young go through something so terrible. I know people are going to say that god hands things like this to people because he made them strong enough to handle it, but she is just a little girl with her whole life in front of her. As I'm typing this baby Jaxon is sleeping in front of me and even though he is not my son(he is my boyfriend's sister's son) I still could not imagine someone not much bigger than him having to go through something so tragic and scary. Just looking at him makes me want to just hold him and cry. Yes I understand that there is nothing wrong with him and his is fine and healthy, but Ella and many more children out there are not. Hugging Jaxon is my way of hugging each and every one of them. They are all a child of god. No I am not a religious person but there is really nothing else to add this up too. I will be waiting to hear more about Ella's story and I hope she keeps fighting with every ounce of heart and soul she has left.

Recall

Well I got my recall fixed... finally. It's about time. But with that came a 50 point inspection, which was on their behalf because they were fucking assholes yesterday. And found out that I needed to replace my transmission fluid, gasket, oil, oil filter, engine filter, and shoes for my car. Jesus christ. I am never going to be rich. Tomorrow is the 1 year anniversary with my car. It doesn't feel like it's a year old to me. Eek. I guess maybe I will give her a bath and make her all pretty for her birthday.

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows and Blushes

Ive decided I need some place to keep track of what Makeup Geek eyeshadows and Blushes I've gotten so I know when I have gotten them all. Eek. I love them. So pigmented and the blushes are amazing... well that one that I own anyways. Ha.

Eye shadows:
Barcelona Beach
Cosmopolitan
Simply Marlena
Frappe
Hipster
Creme Brûlée
Drama Queen
Prom Night
Peach Smoothie
Beaches and Cream 
Corrupt
Cinderella
Vanilla Bean
Cupcake
Cocoa Bear
Glamorous
Purely Naked
Shimma Shimma
Bling
Bleached Blonde
Brown Sugar
Country Girl
Goddess
Gold Digger
Preppy
Homecoming
Pretentious
Moondust
Last Dance
Bitten
Mocha
Toupe Notch
Latte
Sensuous
Wisteria
Twilight
Neptune
Unexpected
Duchess
Nautica
Pop Culture
Bada Bing
Burlesque
Envy
Appletini
Shimmamint
Mermaid
Poolside
Ocean Breeze
Glass Slipper
Shark Bait
Peacock
Sea Mist
Dirty Martini
Poison Ivy
Pixie Dust
Yellow Brick Road
Chickadee
Lemon Drop
Mango Tango
Razzleberry
Galaxy
Stealth
Graphite
Mercury
Rockstar
Ice Queen
White Lies


Blushes:
Spell Bound
Infatuation
Love Affair
Summer Fling
Secret Admirer
Head Over Heels
Bliss
First Love
Smitten
Romance
Honeymoon
Rendezvous
Hanky Panky

Half Moon Bay

Last weekend we went to Half Moon Bay to celebrate Chris and Alex's 23rd birthdays. Here are a few pictures.... 

Summer Is Officially Here

Holy crap! This year is flying by so fast. It's already June 6th. I swear the year just started. Wow how things have changed in 6 months, but lets not go there. Not worth my time anymore. It officially summer thats for sure. It's 100+ degrees outside and will be for like the next 3 days. Getting all the summer plans in order and it's shaping up to be one hell of a summer. Besides school, which my first two classes begin on Monday and are online, I will be a busy busy bee. I have 3 Oakland A's games to go to so far, and I'm sure there will be more, A Modesto Nuts game, Chris and I are going to see Fluffy in Reno for our 3 year anniversary, a trip to Half Moon Bay and countless other beaches, and also birthday after birthday after birthday to celebrate. Chris and Alex turn 23 next week, my birthday in August (27... holy crap), and also Matthew's Birthday, Amanda's Birthday and my Godson's 1st birthday. Then time to get ready for my trip in September. I was going to go to the A's vs Red Sox game in a few weeks but I want my only Red Sox game this year to be in Fenway! My 4 week Math class begins in July. I am going to be exhausted by the end of the Summer.

I See No Reason

I see no reason to keep posting about my workout routines because I am not consistent right now. That bums me out to no end but I just have a lot going on right now.

Week 14

Well I know there has been a huge gap between my last workout post and this one. A lot has been going on but I am slowly getting back into it. I only got to the gym once last week but at least it's better than not at all. No measurements this week. I know it would not be pretty if I did.

100 crunches. No more, no less. 

Fall Semester

Fall semester is registered for. It will be my last Fall semester at the Junior College level. I never thought I would ever say that. It's been a long time coming. It's a bittersweet feeling. When I register for next spring that's when it will feel real. Oh and when I get accepted to whatever school accepts me. Lol. I am taking Biology, Spanish and am wait listed for Math. I am keeping good vibes that I will get in. I will beg and plead to get into that class if I have too. I don't want it to hold me back. I am so excited.


I went and spent this past weekend at home. It's about all that I am allowed to do anyways. Talked with my dad and he doesn't think moving home will be good because he doesn't want to have to handle my grandma and I at the same time. She is moving in with him this summer because she is finally retiring and cant afford to stay in her apartment. Oh well. I'm stuck here for now. But It's more motivation to getting off campus housing at whatever school I go to. Some where that will be quiet when I need to study.

New Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

So I have been in a baking mood lately and decided that I would try a new cookie recipe. I know that craving sweets means that you are lacking certain things in your diet, but it's that time of the month so shut the fuck up!!! <3 Anyways... I found this recipe again on Pinterest which led me to Better With Sugar and anything that says its better with sugar I am all for. And they are amazing... So good....

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 C all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 C light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 C granulated sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate large bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. 
3. Beat in the egg, and then the egg yolk. Then beat in the vanilla. 
4. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula.  Fold in the semi sweet chocolate chips.  
5. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours. 
6. Once it's chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Let the dough come to room temperature for about 10 minutes.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  
8. Roll the dough into balls, about 2 TBS of dough each. Put the balls on the cookie sheet, I fit 12 on one of mine.  
9. Bake for about 11-12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. They will be done when they are a tiny bit firm when you touch them, but still very soft and don't quite look done. They'll keep baking on the sheet. 
10. Take them out of the oven and let them sit on the sheet for about another 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
11. Store in a container at room temperature.

Car Update

Still don't have my car back. I was supposed to get it back tomorrow but I heard from them today and what they said was the problem ended up not being the problem. It still had the same issues as it did when I brought it in there. This is getting pathetic. I wish I never bought a Chevy in the first place. I should of just stayed with my Asian made cars. I never had an issue with them before, but now that I have my lovely American made car I am having issues up the asshole. I am waiting to get my ignition fixed because of the recall and now all this crap with the EVAP and the Fuel Pump... it's frustrating.

So the Spring semester is finally over. Took both of my finals today and I don't have any classes until the beginning of June. So I am going to take my mini summer break and go home for a while. I need to just get out of this place and relax. And after all the stuff that has happened today I really just need to get away and calm down. It's becoming too much high school crap and people spying on private things like searching through my twitter account to see if I am doing anything bad and then taking something out of context when you have no idea what is going on with the situation. But because of this person I have lost a really cool friend because of it. Which sucks because I really liked talking to him and getting to know him. Guess everything happens for a reason and I am just going to have to get over it. I will miss talking to him about sports. Ugh.

One Pot Wonder: Southwest Pasta

So I was craving a veggie dish last night and came across this on Pinterest. It's from Wholesome Dish and let me tell you I will be making this over and over again and adding more veggies next time. It made a shit ton of food too. I will be eating leftovers for like a week.

Ingredients

• 1 13.5 oz. box of whole wheat rotini (or any pasta you like)
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 medium green bell pepper cut into thin strips
• ½ medium red onion, sliced
• 1 15 oz. can Rotel canned tomatoes and chilies (I used the Mexican blend with lime and cilantro)
• ¼ cup taco seasoning (I used Old El Paso, medium)
• 1 tsp. salt (if the taco seasoning you use contains a lot of salt, you may want to reduce this)
• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups fat-free chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup Mexican cheese blend, plus more for topping (Optional)

Instructions

1. Add all but the last 2 ingredients (beans and cheese) to a large pot. Stir, cover, and bring to a rolling boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should be ¼ to ½ inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot when it is done.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans and cheese (optional). Let it rest for 5 minutes to warm the beans, melt the cheese, and absorb the excess liquid.

My tips: Put more veggies in there. I would add more bell peppers and maybe add different veggies then what they call for. There is a lot you can do with this dish. 

Week 10 and Week 11

Well things have been kind of rough for the last 2 weeks. Some serious car issues going on which inhibited me on getting to the gym because no one else wanted to go and I was not about to walk my happy ass to the gym. You're crazy. I'm hoping that when I get my car fixed and everything settles down with the living situation, I will get back in the gym.

100 tricep press, 200 crunches

200 tricep presses, 200 crunches, 200 leg presses

Finally did my first was it measurement in a probably a month and I am at 38.5 inches. Slowly I am getting there. I am not eating as much and trying to cut back on all the bad foods. I'm being good I promise.

Workout Update

I know I have not posted this week about my gym workouts. It's been a little crazy. I am planning on putting last week and this week into one post. Haven't been going a lot but I will be starting to go more because the semester is almost over. 1 more week.

Update Time!!

I got my classes for summer. I am taking my last history class, art appreciation and a math class. After summer semester I have 4 classes left. I will apply to the schools of my choice starting in September. One step closer to transferring and just another step towards being done completely. I cannot wait. 

I did stop going to biology class because after my last meeting with my teacher there was no way for me to pass, even if I got A's on everything from here on out. Which we know was never going to happen because he sucks at being a teacher. So I will just take biology in the fall with a different teacher and pass, because we know I will. I am passing my other 2 classes this semester with flying colors and with only a couple weeks left in the semester I think it's safe to say I will pass. 

Been working out inconsistently since I got my tattoo. I am still going but not as frequently as I was before but now that it's getting hot I will probably be going late at night instead of during the day. It's much cooler at night. I don't want tart more when I leave the gym then when I am at the gym. 

My car goes into the shop this week to get fixed. I am still waiting to hear from Winter Chevy about when I can bring my car in to get the recall fixed that should of been fixed by now. But they are slacking. What is new right? I've something happens to me while driving that car, they will get the shit sued out of them and then they would of wished they fixed it sooner. 

Things are going ok with Chris. Hitting one of those rough patches that we hit from time to time. I don't know if I posted about it or not, but when we were in Reno he gave me a promise ring. The promise was not to kill me. I guess that's sweet. Ha. Ever since then I just feel like he is expecting more out of me. Things are not going to change just because you gave me a ring. It's not how it works. 

I will never ever live with another pregnant person ever again. I cannot stand the constant complaining that her back hurts or that she is tired or her stomach hurts. Everything is going to hurt worse if you don't get off your ass and start exercising and eating right. Being 26 weeks pregnant we should be seeing a bump by now but all we see is fat still. Just more of it. If you don't eat what you should or drink what you should then don't complain when you don't feel good. You brought it on yourself. Plus child birth is going to be so much fun for someone as out of shape as you. 

Nicholas has been meeting with an occupational teacher once a week for about 6 weeks. It seems to be helping in the speaking more words part but it's a hit and miss with everything else like shapes and colors and eating and listening when people are talking to him. It's a work in progress. It will be a long road ahead for this kid but he is tough. He will get through it. 

Week 9

Got to the gym twice this week but also did Relay for Life on Saturday so that took place of the gym for Saturday. Only did a little bit this week at the gym but I still went. Slowly getting back into my routine. I also did no measurements this week because I have been really bloated. Drinking too much soda lately. Back into no soda and only water and gatorade.

100 crunches

50 tricep presses. No AC at the gym. Way too hot

Of course Saturday was Relay for Life. Walked for a while with Alex and Nicholas. I don't know how much I walked but I know I walked so much my knees were killing me.

Week 8

Well no gym at all this week. I got a new tattoo on my thigh and I was not allowed to wear tight fitting clothing. I am not comfortable wearing shorts and all of my gym pants are very form fitting so I was not allowed to go. It also bruised like crazy so my tattoo artist told me to stay out of the gym until it went away. I can officially say I am back in the gym tomorrow for sure. I feel like I have gained a bunch of weight, even though I know I have not and I am a little bloated right now.  So no pictures or measurements this week. Hopefully next check it will be full of fun stuff.

Manicotti with Italian Sausage and Cream Cheese Sauce

I have been on a roll with recipes. I don't remember if I posted about the Mac and Cheese I made on Saturday. Completely different recipe that I've never tried before. I will have to check that out. Anywho.. I wanted something cheesy and pasta-y and meaty. This was exactly what I wanted. We made two separate batches. One with regular cream cheese and one with Jalapeño Cheddar cream cheese. They both turned out amazing.

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 ounces) Manicotti pasta, uncooked
• 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 32 ounces spaghetti sauce, divided
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add salt to the water for more added flavor and to reduce stickiness. Also, do NOT overcook the pasta. By doing so they will go flat and crack in half. I usually cook them no longer than 7 minutes once the water reaches a rapid boil. Drain well. Lay out the Manicotti noodles on a sheet of tin foil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, beef, and onion until browned and no longer pink. Add garlic and continue to cook one minute longer. Drain. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, salt, oregano, and parsley. Stir in the cooked meat. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. With your fingers, fill the cooled pasta tubes with the beef mixture and arrange the filled pasta in single layer over the sauce in the baking dish.
5. Pour remaining sauce over pasta.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through.

My Tips: Get another jar of sauce. You will need it. I am glad I got three intend of two. Also you will need more manicotti noodles than they said you do. So buy extra.

Week 7

This week I only made it to the gym twice. I was planning on going yesterday and today but I got a tattoo yesterday and I was told not to step foot into the gym until Monday. So 2 days this week is better than nothing right. No measurements this week because.... well.... I didn't take any. Ha.

Abs only. 400 crunches

Arms and Abs. 200 tricep presses, 200 crunches

Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken Breast with Southern Style Green Beans

So I know I have been slacking on making recipes. It means my New Years resolution isn't going as planned but its better than not cooking at all. So here is tonight's dinner.

Lemon Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

1/4 cup good olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)

1/3 cup dry white wine (I used a Chardonnay)

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme eaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)

1 lemon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to brown. Remove pan from stove, and off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breast dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the pan juices.

Southern Style Green Beans

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

Cook green beans in 1-inch simmering water, covered, for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Return skillet to stove and set burner to medium high. Add bacon and brown. When fat begins to render, add chopped onions to the pan and cook until tender with the bacon. Add cooked green beans to the pan and turn to coat in bacon drippings and onions. When the beans are hot and bacon crisp at edges and onions translucent add vinegar to the pan and season with beans with sugar. Allow the vinegar to evaporate and the sugar to combine with pan drippings, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve.

My Tips: 

The chicken I cooked by the directions but the green beans I didn't really follow the amount of anything. I have made them many times before. This recipe is my go to green bean recipe. It's amazing. 

Week 6

So this week was another week of having to push myself to go to the gym. I went 3 times this week. 1 day I literally walked in, did 10 minutes on the treadmill and walked out cause there is way too many people. So technically I went twice with actual workouts. But 10 minutes is better than not going at all.

Leg and Abs Day: 200 crunches, 100 leg presses

Just Cardio... too many people at the gym

Everything Day! 100 Tricep presses, 100 chest presses 200 crunches, 100 leg presses, 100 hip adductions

Waist: 38in. 

Thigh: 24.5in.

Bust: 37in

Slowly but surely I am losing the weight. Don't have the urge to stand on the scale but sure why not... hold on a moment.... 177.0lbs.  This does not freak me out that I weigh more now then when I weighed myself a few weeks back. Muscles weigh more than fat so I know with my losing inches around my waist and thighs that it's muscle weight and not fat. So I am ok with this.

Week 5 Update

So as the 5th week has come and gone, I made it to the gym 3 days this week. I had to push myself to go every time which is new for me. I've never been the one to push. If I didn't feel like going I didn't go. But I did and I am proud of myself. There is no measurements this week because 1) its not Saturday and 2) I am going out of town this weekend so next week is going to be a crazy workout week.

Arms and Abs Day: 100 tricep presses, 50 chest presses, 200 crunches

Leg and Abs Day: 100 leg presses, 20 Glutes, 200 crunches

Abs and Arms Day: 150 tricep presses, 100 chest presses, 200 crunches Oh and I ran on the treadmill for the first time!

Week 4 ~ Month 1

So I am a month into this journey of losing weight and toning up my body. I am proud of myself for sticking to it. I never thought in myself that I would rather be in a gym than at home. That's a miracle right there. Ha. Here was the weeks workout.

Leg Day: 100 leg presses, 100 hip adductions

Abs and Arms DayL 200 crunches, 50 chest presses, 100 tricep presses

Leg and Abs Day: 100 leg presses, 250 crunches, 100 hip adductions

Abs and Arms Day: 100 Chest Presses, 100 tricep presses, 300 crunches

Month one final check in:

Waist: 40in.

Thigh: 25in

Bust: 37.5in