Take a Picture...or a Shot!

Remember back when you first started imbibing alcohol?  Well I do.  Not too many moons ago, when I was around 21 or 22, I used to head out to bars and clubs with my girlfriends and we would take shots. 

Sometimes, a friend would call out something crazy like "PATRON!"  and we'd all take a shot of Patron.  (I outgrew that phase real quick!)  Other times we'd say stuff like "KAMIKAZE" or "CHOCOLATE CAKE" or even "RED HEADED SLUT!" 

The names these people made up for shots absolutely amaze me...

But anyways.  Back to what I was saying. 

Eventually I grew out of thinking I could drink shots (know I know I cannot) and I grew into my all time favorite drink: a vodka with soda water and three limes.  I know it sounds boring or icky, but trust me: it's refreshing, crisp, and not too sweet. 

But every once in a while I miss the taste of a good "girly" shot.  But, I also avoid them because of all of the sugar and calories.  A couple of sweet shots and all of a sudden you may have consumed over 300-400 calories.  BAD NEWS. 

That's when I started changing them around and making them into drinks that you sip with a straw instead of things that you throw your head back and swallow quickly.  Here's one to try! 

Skinny Kamikaze
Cast of characters:

2 parts vodka
1 part triple sec
Crystal Light Pink Lemonade
lemon wedge
ice
(shot glass for measuring is optional)

First, add the vodka to the glass.  Around these parts, we tend to stick to Ketel One or the Kirkland vodka. 

Next, add the triple sec.  I was just eye balling it here, but it's about half of the shot glass. 

Squeeze in a lemon wedge.  (I didn't take a picture of this because trying to take a picture and squeeze a lemon is too much for my feeble little brain to handle.)

Top the whole thing off with Crystal Light Pink Lemonade.  Stir and enjoy! 

(Weight Watcher?  2 oz vodka + 1 oz triple sec + lemon wedge + 8 oz Crystal Light = 4 points)

Drink happy! 

Kipp

Misikko Flat Iron Giveaway!!!

My friend Kristen over at Love Lipstick & Pearls is giving away a Misikko flat iron this month!


Follow this link here to find out how to enter up to 6 times!!!

Healthy & Easy Mexican Rice

If you're a huge fan of Mexican food like I am, then you'll love this quick and easy recipe!  It's kind of a mixture of a couple of different recipes that I've tried out and tips I've recieved from several people.  Feel free to use it as it is, or change it completely for your next Taco Tuesday! 

Mexican Rice

Serves 4

4 Weight Watchers Points per serving

1 can of Ro*Tel Origina Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

1 cup of Mahatma white rice

1 cube of Knorr Chicken Bouilon

Water

1 tbsp Butter (optional)

Place the rice into a rice cooker.  Pour the juice from the can of Ro*Tel into a 2 or a 4 cup microwaveable measuring cup and throw the tomatoes and chilis into the rice cooker also. 

Fill the measuring cup that contains the tomato juice up to 2 cups with warm water.  Throw in the cube of Chicken Bouilon and microwave the liquid for one minute.  Stir the mixture to dissolve the cube of bouilon and throw it in with the rice and tomatoes. 

For a little extra moisture, you can add a tablespoon of butter.  But that's just my preference.  Save yourself a few calories and don't add it in.  See if I care. 

Serve it with tacos, enchiladas, chili rellenos, beans, etc.  But here's a warning for you very sensitive folks out there: it is a bit spicy.  Those of you that put Tapatio and Tabasco on everything won't think it's spicy at all, but I'm not warning you.  I'm warning the sensitive folks! 

Eat happy! 

Kipp

Scripture: Why sometimes God says "NO"

I was poking around for some great verses the other day about why we should continue to pray and what comes from prayer.  That's when I found James 4:1-3. 

It's not exaclty what I was looking for, but it's brutal and honest.  Do you every spend so many hours on your knees asking God for something only to have him come back and say "No"?  Well I do.  I want so many worldly goods.  I try to force myself to be calm.  Everyday I would like to win the lottery.   

Here, I've found that James is telling me (or us) that sometimes when we go out and try to get something ourselves we are actually fighting against what we're supposed to be doing.  We're supposed to ask God for what we desire or what we need, and He will give it to us in his time.  Or, if we aren't supposed to have it, then He won't give it to us. 

Either way, it's not our choice.  We place the request, then He decides. 

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

So go out and get on your knees today! 

Pray happy! 

Kipp

A little fun for your weekend...

You can find me here on Saturday with my parents. 

You see, there's something you should probably know about me: I'm a "wine-oh."  Not a wine snob.  Not a "wino" like some guy that drinks it out of a paper bag on the side of the road. 

I am a "wine-oh." 

I drink wine because I like it.  I don't care how much the wine that I like costs.  I don't care what the label looks like.  I don't care if only virgins harvest the grapes and they are mashed by men in satin slippers. 

My rule is: If it tastes good, then drink it. 

So in honor of heading over to the Rancho Cucamonga festival today, I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite local wineries. 

First stop, a local winery only a few miles away from my home. 

J Filippi Winery
12467 Baseline Road
Etiwanda, CA 91739-9522
(909) 899-5755

This is a great rustic winery that isn't too far from Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga.  They have a gift shop, tasting room, antiques, and $5 tastings.  Best of all, they have a wide variety of wines to choose from and most wines are less than $20 per bottle.  If you're a port fan, then you absolutely must try their Ruby-Ruby Port.  At $14 per bottle it's one of my favorite and most affordable wines of all time! 

Next stop on our winery tour is a bit larger and more "corporate" winery. 

South Coast Winery
34843 Rancho California Road

Temecula, CA 92591
(951) 587-9463

This winery is located in the heart of Temecula's wine tasting region, and is just up the road from amazing wineries such as Ponte, Cougar, Hart, and many more!  While they have plenty of wine for all tastes, my two favorite wines reside at this place.  The first is a Chardonnay that is only $15 per bottle that is aged in stainless steele instead of oak called Sans Chene.  Next up, for the port lovers again, is the Black Jack Port coming in at $38 per bottle.  It's one of my most expensive favorite wines, but worth the splurge! 

Last, but not least, I recommend that everyone find a little wine shoppe or nice somallier to help you work out some purchases.  I've found one that I adore, and they have wine classes too! 

California Wine and Cheese
115 W. Foothill Boulevard
Monrovia CA 91016
(626)358-6500

The store is stocked with all sorts of California wines and they rotate their tastings weekly.  I recommend signing up for the free email newsletter to see if you'd like to visit for a taste.  Also to die for are their $10-$12 cheese plates.  Sometimes I go there for lunch just because I love cheese so much!  I don't have a "favorite" wine here, but that's okay.  They don't produce any wines themselves, but they would be happy to recommend something for you if you're looking for a specific type or gift. 

So that was my San Gabriel Valley wine tour.  I hope you enjoyed it.  I'm off to drink wine all day with my parents and hopefully I'll bring back some photos of the Rancho Cucamonga festival to show you! 

Eat (and drink) happy! 

Kipp

Not really a "follow" but a suggestion...

I know quite a few of you have either gotten married, or are getting married in the next year.  2009-2011 is a time FULL of weddings for me! 

The past couple of times I've been invited to a bridal shower or one of my best friends is getting married, I've looked for something orginal to give them as a shower gift.  Wedding gifts should be for the couple in my opinion, but shower gifts?  Shower gifts should be unique.  I usually talk to the bride first and if she doesn't really need much, then my first choice for a gift for her is a customized painting of her wedding dress. 

Think about it.  Your wedding dress is going to be worn once, and then you'll wrap it up and put it into the closet for months or years to come.  But a portrait of your dress?  That can be hung forever in your home.  It's one of a kind.  It's your dress and your colors.  No one else has that portrait. 

That's when I found Sabrina on Etsy.  You can see her page here or if you'd like, you can ask me and I'll give you Sabrina's email address. 

She's professional.  Her portraits are simple.  The work she does is customized to the bride.  If there's a color you'd like or a flower you want, she'll add it.  She always sends you a "proof" via email for your approval.  Her prices are reasonable. 

This woman has stolen my heart. 

So here's a sneak peak of the last portrait I commissioned from Sabrina.  It was for my little sister, Holly, who got married in May 2010. 

Shop happy! 

Kipp

Thankfully, I live in America...

Iran is placing a ban on pets. 

I read this story at the LA Times website on Wednesday afternoon.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  What's even worse than Iran placing a ban on pets is that they're doing it saying that it's solely an act of copying the western culture and that it will lead to "evil outcomes." 

Evil outcomes?  What evil outcomes does a Poodle bring to the table?  Poop? 

So a prophet deemed that dogs are unclean.  I get it.  But what about ourdoor puppies and dogs?  What about a little Beagle that runs around your patio and shakes his tail every afternoon when you come home? 

But now the real question that I have: What happens to all of the pets that Iran residents already own?  Where will they end up?  Is there going to be some sort of mass exodus of canines?  Will someone go in and try to adopt all of the dogs and bring them to other countries?  Could American citizens even adopt a dog from Iran?  Would there be some sort of "canine flu" or disease that prevents us from doing so? 

I'm sorry if I'm offending anyone from Iran, but the second my government tells me that I cannot have a family pet, I believe it's time to find a new government. 

Wacky Wednesday: Men's Product Review

So as odd as this sounds, wacky Wednesday is all about the guys today!  It's not a funny story.  It's not a cartoon.  It's a product review for the men in your life. 

Some of my earliest memories as a little girl are of my father getting ready for work.  He was a modern businessman that saved some of those classic traditions: he wore a tie to work daily with a double windsor, he carried a hankerchief, and he shaved using a badger hair brush and a bar of shaving soap. 

So as I got older, I realized that he also had a small collection of shaving brushes and old soap and razor containers.  They used to sit on a shelf in his bathroom and a realized that these were things of the past. 

That is until I found "The Art of Shaving" line at Nordstrom.  I purchased the shaving soap for my father for Christmas and he loved it. 

The next Christmas, I bought Big Mike a gift set at Nordstrom.  Soon after that, we were shopping in Las Vegas and we found the Art of Shaving store!  Mike picked up a few more products and I suddenly realized that this product line must actually be pretty good if all of these men are using it! 

Then we found out that you can schedule an old fashioned shave at the Art of Shaving stores! 

Last Christmas, I bought Mike the Classic Shaving Stand and it is so nice to see it out in his bathroom and actually getting used!  It's so much better than throwing everything on the counter or into a drawer!   

So if whether the man in your life is having problems with ingrown hairs or you're just looking to splurge a little and get him something, check out the Art of Shaving stores or head into your local Nordstrom and check out this line. 

Eat (and shop) happy! 

Kipp

Nothing to Make on Monday

I have a bit of a confession.  I haven't really cooked in about 4 or 5 days.  I have kind of cooked.  But not really cooked. 

For Thursday night, we had breakfast for dinner.  Diced potatoes, chopped smoked breakfast sausage and some scrambled eggs. 

Big Mike threw it into a tortilla. 

I ate it out of a bowl. 

Maddie ate it straight off of the floor. 

Friday night, I took a roll of Pillsbury Pizza Dough out of my refrigerator.  I poured some Buffalo wing sauce on it and threw some diced chicken breast on top of that.  After a generous sprinkling of shredded cheese, it went into the oven for about 15 minutes.  When it came out, I drizzled Ranch dressing over the top of it. 

Viola!  Buffalo chicken pizza. 

That was dinner before our trip to the Quakes game.  And our snack the next day.  I love cold pizza. 

Oh, and Maddie ate some off of the floor. 

On Saturday night, I took a can of enchilada sauce and a can of shredded chicken out of the pantry, some corn tortillas and some shredded cheese out of the fridge and made enchiladas.  Simple.  Delicious.  They make Big Mike happy. 

Once again, Maddie ate some off of the floor. 

Sunday night, a few friends of ours invited us for an Italian dinner at their house.  We went, of course, because it means we don't have to cook. 

Tonight, my parents have invited us for a little backyard BBQ.  We'll go, of course, because it means we don't have to cook. 

(For the record, I don't feed Maddie everything off of the floor.  The little punk is quick and we're still teaching her the "leave it" command.  Contrary to popular belief, she eats dog food from a bowl.) 

So here's a re-cap.  To make what I just mentioned above, you're going to need the following:

• Eggs
• Potatoes
• Sausage (smoked, breakfast, turkey, etc.)
• Shredded cheese
• Tortillas
• Sour Cream
• Salsa
• Pillsbury Pizza Dough
• Buffalo Wing Sauce
• Leftover diced chicken breast
• Ranch Dressing
• Corn Tortillas
• Enchilada sauce
• Shredded chicken in a can

Most of us have some of that in our pantry or fridge at any given time.  You can make it as healthy (light sour cream? low fat sausage?) or as naughty (LOTS of cheese and ranch dressing!) as you want it to be.  It also makes plenty for left overs and enchiladas and pizza make great leftovers!!!

See My Side

I guess you could say that the past couple of weeks has found me doing a lot of introspective research.  I find that when things bothering me, it's easiest when I start looking for answers in the easiest place for me to reach: my own head. 

So how far has that gotten me?  It's lead me to a few comforting scriptures.  It's lead me to a couple of books I love to read over and over again.  I've had a few very necessary glasses of wine after dinner.  I've shared a few (and maybe a few too many!) cocktails with some friends.  I've shared a few dinners and some shopping with my amazing family.  I've spent a few weeks laughing and crying more than I have in a very long time. 

I think it's been months since I've felt this many emotions, and as scary as it has been, I love that it's happened. 

Sure, this whole ordeal has been sort of painful.  But along with that pain, I've been surrounded by a few people that have showered me with love and support.  In my humble opinion, love and support are never painful.  However, change can be. 

To me, this isn't about what happened to make me so self conscious.  It's about how to learn, grow, and move on.  In three very fitting words: get over it. 

So on my way to work on Friday, my iPod decided to give me a little shove in the right direction.  It played Jordin Sparks' "See My Side." 

For those of you that don't know it, I have the least subtle iPod in the world.  I can put my iPod on shuffle and it will play the same artist three or four times in a row.  Why?  Because it obviously felt I needed a little Britney Spears or Reckless Kelly that day.  Duh. 

So anyways.  I'm ending my self-absorbed and introspective rant with the lyrics from Friday's song.  They kind of smacked me in the head, and maybe someone else out there needs them too. 

(There's no music video for this song, so don't bother going to YouTube to look for one.) 

"See My Side"

I've been trying for days


To think of a way

To find the words to make sense

Of how we behave

This might take a while

So please just hear me out



We know how things can get crazy

When we go ablaze

We just get carried away

Believe me, I know

Don't even say a word

Now please just hear me out



[Chorus]

See my side

And I'll see yours better

Love me back

And I'll love you better



Sometimes the stunts that we pull

Don't even make sense

But I was never the one

To feel that resent

This ain't 'bout who's to blame

So please just hear me out



When the scene gets intense

It's hard to prevent

From going all crazy again

Believe me, I know

Don't even say a word

Now please just hear me out



[Chorus]

See my side

And I'll see yours better

Love me back

And I'll love you better



[Chorus]

See my side

And I'll see yours better

Love me back

And I'll love you better



We'll get right back

On the right track

We'll get right back on

We'll get right back on

On the right track



[Chorus]

See my side

And I'll see yours better

Love me back

And I'll love you better



[Chorus]

See my side

And I'll see yours better

Love me back

And I'll love you better

Something Social on Saturday

At this moment, I'm getting ready to do a photo shoot for a dear college friend of mine and I can promise you, I'm drinking coffee to stay awake.  Most of you will do the same today. 

As many of you head out for your weekend coffee shop dates or to study at some large coffee chain, I'd like to take a moment and recognize Lynne Rosenthal. 

Lynne did something that I've wanted to do in the past: She snapped back at a snappy coffee store employee. 

You can read about her story here. 

Now before you run off and decide that this Lynne lady is a lunatic, stop and think about if you've ever been embarrassed or publicly corrected by a restaurant or coffee shop employee.  I know that I certainly have. 

I was at a coffee chain a few weeks back and I placed an order for a "venti iced coffee" and looked down into my wallet to get out my payment.  When I looked up to see how much it was going to cost me, the person behind the counter was staring at me with a disgusted look on her face.  I figured she just hadn't heard me clearly so I repeated my order of one "venti iced coffee, please?" and was greeted with the same blank and moderately irritated stare. 

Finally she said, "I don't know what a venti is.  Would you like a large?"  This was not whispered.  This was not discreet.  The person in line behind me chuckled aloud.  I ordered my large iced coffee and left, flushed and embarrassed.  I have not since returned to that shop or that chain.  I hope I never have to.  I was mortified. 

It is not the fault of the consumer that all of these different conglomerates are naming their sizes differently.  It is not the responsibility of the barista to educate us.  If we (the consumer) make a mistake in our order, it is curteous to simply clarify what it is we are trying to order from your menu and move on! 

Don't ridicule us.  Don't embarrass us.  Don't escalate the situation any more. 

In my humble opinion, this Lynne customer was placing an incorrect order.  It may or may not have been justified for the barista to correct the customer, but I would estimate that the barista's attitude probably didn't help the situation.  Lynne was probably not being exceptionally nice about it, however taking the higher road is always the proper response to someone with an attitude problem like that. 

So while you're out at your mom 'n pop shops or your big corporate coffee warehouses this weekend, I challenge you to do a few things. 

1. Smile at the person who is about to take your order. 
2. Say "hello" or "good morning" to the person who is about to take your order. 
3. If the person taking your order asks how your day is or how you are doing that day, respond back with "I'm doing great.  How are you doing?" 
4. If the person does not ask you how you are doing, ask them anyway. 

Do not give that waiter/waitress or barista any reason to think you are a mean person or already in a bad mood.  Smiles and kindness are contagious. 

However (and I can say this because I worked in the food industry for 5 years) if your order is incorrect or the service was horrible (not just mediocre, it has to be downright despicable) then it is your responsibility as a patron to inform your waiter/waitress, barista, or a manager.  If the food is bad, the manager needs to correct the problem in the kitchen.  If the service is crappy, the manager needs to note the problem with the staff member.  If the bathroom is dirty, the cleaning staff needs to correct the health dangers. 

Just remember, "service with a smile" can start with the patron.  The nicer you (the customer) are to the service team, the higher the chance that they will be very quick to rememdy the situation and offer apologies. 

By the way, stop asking for free stuff.  It's rude.  It's petty.  It makes you look ignorant and cheap.  And unless you're severly injured or become ill due to something a restaurant has knowingly done, it's probably just an accident and they don't owe you a single thing.  All they should be doing is replacing an improper item with a proper one.  They are not required to comp your meal.  There is no rule stating they have to give you vouchers to come back again.  All of that stuff comes when you're nice to them and explain the situation calmly and truthfully. 

Oh yah, one last thing: Don't ever, ever, ever snap your fingers at a waiter/waitress or barista because that's the quickest way to get ignored. 

Eat happy! 

Kipp

Double Dose of Follow Friday!

I'm no fashionista. 

I wear jeans and a tee shirt pretty much everyday of my life. 

I'm grateful that God gave me pretty good hair and I don't have to do a whole lot to keep it looking rather healthy. 

But I do have some guilty pleasures and I have some wonderful friends that help me indulge them! 

Meet Kristen and Laura! 

Kristen writes a blog called Love, Lipstick, and Pearls which I absolutely adore.  I especially enjoy her posts called "Hot Man Parades" in which she just puts up a ton of photos of attractive male celebrities!  Hello guilty pleasures!!!

Next up we have a sensible and stylish approach to life called A Glamorous Demeanor from Laura.  The Mad Men fashion and the product descriptions are absolutely delightful! 

Between these two ladies, I get all the down to earth fashion I need.  (I guess it doesn't hurt that I've known both of them for many years and trust their opinions a lot!)

So follow Kristen and Laura as they write about their fashion finds and their celebrity inspired shopping.  And wish Kristen the best as she's recently gotten engaged and is planning her wedding to Mr. Perfect for mid-2011! 

Shop happy! 

Kipp

Thankful for my cup being full!

No, I'm not talking about some "glass is half full" or "my cup runneth over" saying.  I'm telling you that every morning when I wake up, I'm thankful that I can fill my cup with something yummy! 

You see, when I moved a few months ago I brought with me a plain old coffee pot.  It wasn't a bad coffee pot or anything, but I was beginning to want something different.  I was making a pot of coffee ever few days and I'd drink it until it was stale and then I'd throw it away.  Hot coffee.  Iced coffee.  Re-heated coffee.  It was sort of sad.  I love coffee too much to drink bad coffee, and I was upset every time I ended up tossing a half a pot down the sink.  (No, Mike doesn't drink coffee.)

About a week ago, I was at my aunt's house and she handed me her Bialettishop Mukka Express and told me to take it with me.  You see, she has a great espresso machine at her house and I have a sad little $15 coffee pot from Target.  She didn't really need the Mukka Express anymore, so I guess that's why it was lent to me. 

This thing rocks!  Every morning last week I put some water in the base, some Starbucks Italian Roast in the basket, and some non fat milk in the top.  Then I have an amazing 12 oz cappuccino! 

This week, I went to WinCo and bought some Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup for less than $5.  Now I've been making home made skinny vanilla cappuccinos!  (That's 1 or 1.5 points for all you Weight Watchers out there!  Plus you're knocking off 1 dairy serving.)

It's so easy, clean up is a breeze, and I'm no longer wasting gallons of coffee. 

So if you're tired of coffe, or you don't even have a coffee pot because you only like lattes and cappuccinos, then this thing is for you!  I think I have significantly reduced my need to go to Starbucks and pay $4 to $5 for my beverage when I now have all of the tools to make my favorite drink at home. 

And if you're more of a blended drink fan, check out my friend's blog where she makes a home made Caramel Frappuccino!

Something "wacky" for your Wednesday...

Please go read these cartoons! 

I've been following Allie's blog for a few months now, and I can honestly say her humor is extremely refreshing. 

I love being able to laugh at my own mistakes and my own shortcomings and this girl accomplishes that and so much more with her stick figure drawings and her sarcastic repartee. 

I absolutely cannot get enough of her sketches and life lessons and I hope she brings a smile to your face today. 

Eat (and read) happy! 

Kipp

Time to take a picture!

I guess I should warn you that somewhere around 8 o'clock every night, I turn into a pumpkin.  A sleepy pumpkin. 

My day is over and I simply collapse into my bed or the couch and fall asleep.  Apparently, my puppy does the same thing and Mike is alwyas there to watch over us. 

Make some hummus!

Let me be clear about this:  I love hummus.  There's not a whole lot of ingredients in hummus that I don't like individually, so when you combine them all together I believe magic happens.  So when I found a very diet friendly version of hummus (not that it's all that unhealthy to begin with) I had to try it out.  After a time or two, I think I found the perfect way to make it!  Then again, you might find another recipe that you like more...

Hummus is so easy to make that I really do recommend you try it at least once.  All you need is a blender and a knife. 

My Own Personal Favorite Hummus
6 servings
2 Weight Watchers Points per serving

Painfully absent from this family photo is my ground cayenne pepper.  Sorry.  He was hiding in the cupboard because he was afraid to make the other guys look bad.  Also, please note that while the recipe calls for 3 cloves of garlic and I included 3 heads of garlic in the photo this does not mean that I put three heads of garlic into the hummus.  Although I did think about it. 

The cast of characters:
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
cround cayanne pepper (optional)

First step, rinse and drain a can of chickpeas.  People, these things are cheap.  I picked mine up at a middle eastern market for 59 cents per can.  After you rinse them, leave them in the sink to dry while you gather up the rest of the ingredients. 

Next up, if you're like me you might want to measure out your 1/2 cup of fat free plain yogurt.  I'm going to stress that word: plain.  Not vanilla.  Not blueberry.  Not stawberry banana.  Plain. 

Now, for my favorite part.  Garlic is coming to this party!  He's bringing two of his friends!  That's right folks, it's a three clove recipe.  I think four is too much, two isn't enough, but three is just right.  Originally I read that you should crush the garlic up, and then someone told me to heat it in olive oil to cook off that bite that fresh garlic has.  You know what I told them? 

Kick rocks!  I want my garlic to be rough and rowdy!  So I gave those three cloves a rough chop and I didn't heat them in no stinkin' olive oil! 

But don't listen to me, if you wanna heat it or crush it or burn it with a blow torch then be my guest.  You're the one that has to the eat the finished product. 

Next up you're gonna start throwing the whole kit 'n kaboodle into your blender or your food processor or your mortar and pestle or, well nevermind. 

The lemon juice, the water, and the olive oil are already in there but they tend to run down into the bottom so you cannot actually see them in this shot.  Trust me, there in there. 

Once it's all in there, step back and stretch.  This is the hardest part of this whole recipe.  You think I'm kidding you?  Well just let me warn you, if you aren't properly warmed up then you might seriously injure your finger during this next step. 

Are you ready? 

Did you stretch? 

I hope you took a warm up lap. 

It might tire you out. 

Okay you've been warned. 

There they are; all of the ingredients are sitting there.  They're all uncomfortable and pushed up against eachother and thinking "What is going on in here?  Where am I?" 

Okay maybe they aren't exactly thinking, but you get my point.  They're no fun this way.  So what are you gonna do about it?  You're gonna take the pointer finger and you're gonna PULSE!!! 

That's right folks, pulse about 10 or 15 times and you end up with something chunky like this! 

If that's what you want, then stop there. 

But for me, I give it a quick stir with a spoon and then I pulse another 10 or 15 times.  Don't blend the stuff into paste guys, a little chunk is good.  Just ask Mike.  He likes me and I've got a little chunk. 

I crack myself up. If you all start calling me "hummus" as my new nickname, I won't blame you.

Okay so from there, you grab your favorite pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, veggies or just a spoon and you dig in! 

Let me show you what I did with it about 5 minutes after the pulsing had stopped. 

That's right, I put it into a little ramekin and hit with some cayenne pepper which we all know means that I had to say BAM!! as I did it.  Except Mike was watching tv in the other room so it was more like a bam.  Then I threw a stalk of celery and half of a bell pepper on the plate and I scarfed it down! 

That part is all optional, of course.  But whatever you do, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Eat happy,

Kipp

Social Sunday!!!

I kind of switched things around this week and gave you some scripture support yesterday.  I hope you'll understand it was for a very good reason:  On Saturday morning I went to see Julia Roberts in "Eat Pray Love" with my parents and I wanted to review it for you here. 

First off, let me tell you that I did read the book.  Actually, I had the book read to me!  I borrowed the book on CD's and let the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, read the book to me. 

I laughed a lot.  I cried a little.  But each day I listened to the book, I felt like I was stepping into a different life.  That's what books are for, right?  Escape? 

I was a little apprehensive about seeing the movie version, if only because it was not viewed by movie critics and initial response was not positive. 

But if you know me, you know my love for Julia Roberts.  I absolutely must go see this movie! 

However if you know Mike, you know that any ploy to try to get him to see this movie was futile as soon he heard me say "But the book was really good..."  Game over.  End of discussion.  Chick movie turned into a chick flick.  Adios.  Bye bye.  Not a chance. 

So I grabbed my parents yesterday and we headed to the movies!

I should warn you, if you read the book by Gilbert, you'll probably be missing a lot of the actual text.  I know I did.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie.  I went through nearly the same emotions that the book inspired, I simply went through them much more quickly.  I read the book over a two week span, however the movie was only 2 hours. 

I would like to point out that even througouth the movie, I fell in love with Richard from Texas.  I want to be Richard.  I want to speak in "bumper sticker" lingo.  I want to be brutally honest.  I want to be full of quippy comments.  I want to have a story.  Not just a story. 

I should also point out, I want to eat my way through Italy.  "Carbohydrates and Conjugations" would have been an excellent name for a book, and I would have eaten pasta while reading the text.

 But more than anything in the movie and the book, I needed to hear Gilbert's words regarding finding and defining God: 

"In the end, what I have come to believe about God is simple. It's like this-- I used to have this really great dog. She came from the pound. She was a mixture of about ten different breeds, but seemed to have inherited the finest features of them all. She was brown. When people asked me,What kind of dog is that?" I would always give the same answer: "she's a brown dog." Similarly, when the question is raised, "What kind of God do you beieve in?" my answer is easy: "I believe in a magnificent God."

A little scripture to start your Saturday...

I know at first glance people might always seem happy-go-lucky and energetic about life, but I've learned that I'm not necessarily one of those people.  For as far as I can remember, I'm a self-stressing person.  I place pressures and deadlines on myself, even when others don't.  For some reason I have some magical timeline in my head, and I push very hard to hold myself to it. 

Don't read that wrong: I do not place other people on my timeline.  I don't care if people graduate from college at 21 or 22.  I don't mind when people don't buy a house when they're 25.  I don't see any harm in taking life at your own pace, but for some odd reason my pace is wacky. 

So every now and then, I need a little guidance.  I need a little "umph."  It pretty much always comes from the Bible: the one book that I believe can truly change a person's life. 

This week I was looking for a verse to encourage me.  I googled "bible verses for encouragement" and here's a great one that I found:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." 
Philippians 4:6

Anxiety is my biggest enemy.  I face anxiety every day at work.  I face anxiety in the car ride to and from work.  I even face anxiety at home when I have a wonderful house, amazing and loving man, and a dog that is so cute that she can even make little cuddly babies say "awwwwwww." 

So why am I anxious?  God tells me not to be.  It's like He is saying in this verse, "Hey!  Nut job!  You need to pray more and we'll get through this."  So what's my problem? 

So here's my prayer for you (and me) this week: I pray for peace.  I need it.  You need it. 

Eat (and pray) happy,

Kipp

Follow Fridays!

Follow Ree's Blog

Follow Ree's Twitter

I talk about her like we're old friends. 

I cook her recipes like she's Julia Child. 

I take photographs and think, "Would Pioneer Woman like this shot?"

I think this lady has a bit of goodness for every one.  Her "Confessions" section cracks me up when she talks about her beloved (and sloth) Bassett Hound, Charlie.  Her "Cooking" section has me eating more butter than I ever have in my life.  Her "Photography" section has all my Nikon working overtime.  Her "Home and Garden" section makes me want to buy plates, necklaces, and earrings. 

I don't even wear earrings.  I hate earrings.  I only wear earrings when my best friends hand me a pair the day before their wedding and say "Please wear these tomorrow,"  and I do.  Because I love them. 

Gosh, I hope they know how much I love them. 

If you've ever given me earrings and I've worn them, then I love you.  It's the test of my love for you. 

Her "Homeschooling" section, well let's be honest.  I skip that section.  Who am I going to homeschool?  Maddie?  I doubt it.  She's doing fine in her dog school and I'm going to let her trainer keep on training.

So go check out the Pioneer Woman, and don't be surprised if you read a lot more things about her in the future! 

Thirsty Thursdays

We're switching the lineup already here...I'm taking you all back to the college days. 

 

Thursdays were all about not having class on Fridays and getting to spend Thursday nights with your friends at a party or a happy hour somewhere.  For today's Thirsty Thursday, I want you to prepare yourself for an excellent drink (and it's definitely one to share with friends and family!). 

 

This recipe is so simple, I can remember it in my head!  No note cards.  No fancy recipe books.  Just me and a little list of ingredients.  Are you ready?  Let's make a pitcher of sangria!!!!!!!!!

 

The great thing about this particular recipe is that you can make it with red or white wine, depending on your own preference. 

 

Summer Sangria
One pitcher

• 750mL bottle of inexpensive wine
• 3/4 c. triple sec
• 3/4 c. rum
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 limes
• 2 lemons
• 2 oranges
• 1 apple
• ice

That's it folks.  That's all the stuff you'll need.  I'm pretty sure you can pick up everything for around $20, and if you have triple sec and rum in your liquor cabinet already then you're all set to go! 

 

First things first, juice 1 of each of the limes, lemons, and oranges into the pitcher. 

 

Stirr in the triple sec, rum, and sugar.  That's the base.  I like to let this sit for a minute to try to break up some of the sugar and get it into a nice syrup-y concoction. 

 

From here, all you have to do is dump in the wine of your choice.  It doesn't need to be sweet, because you've got sugar.  It doesn't need to be great, because you've got fruit and liquor to spice things up.  For me, I chose the $1.99 bottles of wine from Fresh and Easy.  There were two brands to choose from and five types total.  That's right, I bought 6 bottles of wine from Fresh and Easy for what was going to be $11.94.  Did I mention that if you buy 6 bottles or more, you get a 10% discount?  So it was only $10.75 plus tax.  Come on, this is a total steal! 

 

I'm sure they're aren't "impressive" or "spectacular", but that's not what I need them to be.  I just need wine.  Wine flavor.  Wine-like.  For these particular recipes, I used one bottle of the white "Saludas" and one bottle of the red "Saludas" wines. 

 

So pour that wine into the pitcher and slice up the remaining lemon, lime, and orange.  Toss everything into the pitcher and give it a good healthy stir.  Now throw it into the fridge and (this is my favorite part) walk away. 

 

I went off and cleaned, made lunch, did some laundry, put on my bathing suit, and came back to the fride an hour or two later.  I stirred it up again and discovered that the sugar had disolved and the fruit was soaking in some of that wine goodness. 

 

I put some ice into a glass and poured myself a nice healthy amount.  From there I headed out to the pool and spent the afternoon sipping on sangria and munching on orange slices.  It was delightful! 

 

I have to warn you though, this stuff will sneak up on you.  It will whack you over the head and say "Too much silly juice!" before you know what hit you!  Think about it: wine, triple sec, and rum.  That's a whole lotta alchohol.  So sip slowly.  And drink water.  And take aspirin before you go to bed.  Throw in a vitamnin too, just to be safe.

 

Eat (and drink) happy,

 

Kipp

Game time!

Every afternoon around 2pm or so, I play a little game. 

No one else plays this game with me, and frankly I like it that way. 

It's not a game with a score. 

It's not a word game. 

Although, it's puzzling to me, it is technically not a puzzle. 

So I sit at my desk with a Snickers Almond and a piece of fruit.  Sometimes it's an apple.  Sometimes it's a pear.  Today it was an orange. 

Then I play a game.  I tell myself politely, "Self, if you are REALLY hungry then you will eat that piece of fruit." 

Then my evil self comes in, "Nope.  I don't wanna!"  That little brat puts her hands on her hips and she shakes her head and purses her lips together.  "You can't make me"  she says. 

So then my polite self chimes in again.  "But if you eat that orange, and you're still hungry, I'll let you have that Snickers Almond bar." 

The brat pipes up, "No!  I want the Snickers bar no-owwwww!"  She says with a whine. 

And finally, my logical and calm self ends the discussion.  "LISTEN TO ME YOU STUPID LITTLE GIRL!  IF YOU DON'T EAT THAT ORANGE, THEN YOU OBVIOUSLY AREN'T HUNGRY AND YOU DON'T DESERVE THAT SNICKERS BAR!" 

It should be noted, I have had the same orange and the same Snickers Almond bar on my desk for 4 days now.  Apparently I'm not really ever that hungry. 

What to make Monday???

This is always a hard question for me to answer:  What's for dinner? 

I think I've gotten into a little trouble over the past couple of months because I wasn't planning ahead and I would give into my cravings a little too often.  So, here we go.  You all get to join me as I stop telling Mike "Let's grab a pizza!" and start saying "I'm making something healthy for dinner!" 

Step one: You have to have something at home to cook for dinner. 

Pesky little grocery list.  I always write one out, put it into my purse, and then I find it about a week later in shreds underneath my wallet.  I guess if you're going to make a grocery list, you need to go to the grocery store.  That's the trick. 

Last Sunday, I did it a little bit differently: I picked about 10 recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and then I wrote out every single ingredient that was in them.  I went through my kitchen and checked off the items that I had already and then I headed off to WinCo.  After one hour and $75, I walked out of there feeling so accomplished and optomistic! 

Okay, then I got in my car and realized that I forgot two items.  I'll go back and get them after work this week.  I'm an idiot, just say it. 

I started off by baking 12 bran muffins with golden raisins and chopped walnuts and freezing 6 of them for the future.  Then I made a delicious turkey breast for dinner with crispy baked potatoes.  From there I have enough food in my house to make lasagna, Greek salads with feta and oregano dressing, spaghetti and meatballs, arroz con pollo, hummus, and the list goes on and on! 

Plus I have loads of snacks too!  Popcorn, celery, bell peppers, carrots, cherry tomatoes, canteloupe, blueberries, yogurt, cheese, etc.  I think I'm ready to face my demons.  But before I start sharing my recipes with you, I want to give you this thing to make:  a list. 

It sounds so simple, but it isn't.  Make a list of the foods you need in order to cook the things that you'll love.  Then you won't be so tempted (like me) to eat fast food and waste countless dollars on restaraunts. 

Here's a little tip from Weight Watchers about the 10 best items to keep in your house! 

1. Boneless skinless chicken breasts
2. Unsalted dry roasted nuts
3. Frozen vegetables
4. Fat free soup broth
5. Lean ground beef
6. Basil leaves
7. Extra virgin olive oil
8. Canned, crushed, or whole tomatoes
9. Chicken sausages
10. Dried whole wheat pasta

I can honestly say that this list would keep me busy for a very long time!  I can just imagine the possibilites!  However, here's a couple of safe bets for my house as well:

1. Popcorn for snacking
2. Flour tortillas for wrapping up lunch meat instead of using bread to make a sandwich
3. Fat free milk to sip in order to curb hunger
4. Apples and oranges (I'll teach you how to play the game "Am I apple hungry?")
5. Eggs because hard boiled eggs are a great snack for me
6. Vitamuffins for when I need a brownie or a cookie
7. Iced coffee (unsweetened) which I keep in my fridge because it lets me skip Starbucks and sip at home
8. Salsa because it's a great low-calorie way to make just about everything taste better

So head out this week and make a list!  Then stick to it.  I'm really interested to see if my little experiment works in order to lose weight and save money at the same time!

Eat happy,

Kipp

Sunday means _____.

I know I told you that I was going to share something like scriptures with you on Sundays, but believe me, this is a very special Sunday. 

  You're probably scratching your head, aren't you? 

  You're probably wondering what I am about to tell you and why it's relevant to your life. 

  You're probably thinking I'm nuts, and you'd be right. 

  You're probably wishing I would stop saying the word probably and get on with my story. 

Well here it is, the truth about why today is more special than any Sunday in a while:

That's right folks, the NFL is back today!

VERSUS

Dallas is playing at Cincinnati tonight.  8:00 pm (ET) on NBC.  So for all of us left coast people, at 5:00 pm I better hear a collective sigh as we all settle into our couches with some french onion dip, potato chips, ice cold beverages, and a better outlook on life. 

By the way, don't call me from about 5:00 pm Sunday until Monday morning because after the football game I'll be watching True Blood on HBO.  After that, I go to sleep.

Something to be social with...

...CHOCOLATE!!!

I'm going to show you a picture of 2 items.  Then we're going to talk about why one is for sharing and the other one is not. 

Lindt 70% Cocoa Bar and Snickers Almond

The first item is a Lindt 70% Cocoa Bar.  I picked it up at a local grocery store because I thought "Gee.  This is probably lower in sugar, fat, and unnecessary junk.  I'll give it a try."  I got back to work, I flipped it over, and then I almost fell off of my desk chair. 

550 calories  Gasp!
42.5 grams of fat  Eeek! 
27.5 grams of sugar  Oh no! 
6 grams of fiber  What the...

That's it.  I'm done.  I'm supposed to consume a portion of this bar (40 grams of it) and be satisfied?  How about, no.  If you're a weight watcher, then you would consume those 40 grams of 70% cocoa and you would write down 5 points in your tracker.  That's a lot of points for a very little return in my opinion.  If I ate the whole thing, I'd have to journal in 12.5 points for that sucker!  No way Jose! 

So then, I pulled out of my desk drawer a Snickers Almond bar.  The serving size is the whole bar and that in itself is satisfying.  You see, I suffer from what's called "Bottom of the Bag Syndrome" which means I like to finish a bag or a container of something.  I try to portion things out in bags or containers so that I avoid this problem.  I put snacks on a plate or in a bowl to avoid eating a whole back of potato chips or an entire container of chocolate chip cookies. 

So then I start reading the nutritional information for the Snickers Almond Bar. 

230 calories
11 grams of fat
26 grams of sugar
2 grams of fiber

I can eat this whole entire thing for just about the same consequences as eating just one little portion of that other bar.  The bar I thought was healthy?  Pshhh...Snickers Almond wins.  That's just wrong.  It goes against everything you read in magazines and hear from tv doctors.  That's right folks, I can eat an entire Snickers Almond bar for 5 Weight Watchers points, or an entire Lindt 70% cocoa bar for 12.5 Weight Watchers points. 

Well, needless to say:  My advice for you this week is to share a Lindt 70% cocoa bar with a friend (or an enemy!) and try to avoid eating the entire thing.  I think I'm going to walk over and hand the bar to my boss and write the whole thing off as a learning experience. 

Eat happy,

Kipp

Not-So-Follow Fridays

This first Friday isn't necessarily about following, it's about watching.  Watching your finances that is. 

Back in 2010, Mike and I decided to buy a house.  Many of you followed us through the entire ordeal, and you can read about it in my blog archives.  The truth is, but examining my finances with a fine toothed comb, I learned a lot about myself. 

For example: I eat out more at the end of the month than I do near the beginning of the month. 

Why is that?  Who knows.  Maybe I get fed up with things by that time.  Maybe it's my Aunt Flo. 

Here's another one: January is absolute hell on my finances.  Christmas credit card bills.  AAA membership.  Costco membership.  Gym membership.  LA Zoo membership.  Hundreds of dollars fly out of my account in that little month, and by February 1st I'm usually in tears. 

So after learning that, I went through and changed the ones I could.  I got a deal from the LA Zoo that instead of 12 months of membership, I purchased 15 months of membership.  Now my bill won't come until March 2011.  Ask if you can change the billing month for your annual bills.  It might not make a huge difference, but moving that car insurance bill to July sure saves me a couple of tears. 

But what am I telling you?  That I followed my finances?  No. 

I'm telling you that I used a free website to do it for me.  Mint

I'll say it again in case you missed it: Mint

You go in and tell it everything about your finances and your financial institutions.  Then, evertime you log in after that the website automatically goes to your financial institutions and pulls down all of the information that you'll need to analyze your spending: balances, transactions, bill due dates. 

It's all there. 

Then it helps you put it into categories and shows you in neat little graphs and pie charts where your money goes.  If you think you don't spend a lot on eating out, prepare to be surprised like I was.  Or maybe it'll point out that you're using a card with an extremely high APR.  Perhaps the website can find you a better return for your savings account. 

Whatever your problem might be, Mint has a solution for it.  See all your transactions, then set yourself some budgets.  Finally, set up the email or text message alerts.  When I go over a certain budget for that month, my cell phone buzzes to tell me that I've exceeded it.  It's a great little nudge in the right financial direction and I highly recommend it to every young adult out there. 

I've got my car, my Vespa, my bonds, my two checking accounts, my savings account, my retirement account, my credit card, my mortgage, and my home value all plugged into this one little website.  Everytime I log in I get a snapshot of my financial insanity and it helps me sort it all out. 

Could I really do this for a long period of time?

So now that you've seen me complete 30 days of blogging, I wonder if I could do it for an two months?  Three months?  A year?  I can't imagine that you want to read what I have to say for 90 days, but hey, it still amazes me that you guys and gals find me amuzing at all! 

So here's how we're going to play this game.  Each day of the week will have a theme of some sort.  I think for the sake of my sanity, it will be very relaxed.  I've managed to pre-write enough of the 30 day blog that I think I could make it through a vacation in 90 days and you guys might not even notice that I'm gone! 

Please note: This is open to suggestions!  My interests might not be your interests and I don't want to bore you to death! 

So here's a little rough sketch of how I think my weekly circle will go.  Don't hold me to this.  This is not a syllabus.  This is non-binding.  I want the freedom to have "guest bloggers" and silly topics whenever I see necessary. 

Sunday........is for Scripture (whatever I deem "necessary" to my life and hopefully yours)
Monday.......is for Making (dinner, crafts, scrapbooks, desserts, etc.)
Tuesday.......is for Take a Picture (self explanatory, right?)
Wednesday...is for Wacky (anything I find that can make us laugh)
Thursday......is for Thankful (I hope I don't have to explain this one either)
Friday...........is for Following (a new blog, a website, someone on twitter, etc.)
Saturday.......is for Social (something to do as a couple, group, family, etc.)

So what do you think?  Should we get started?  Please leave a comment if there is something that you really want to hear me talk about or see pictures of my friends and family doing.  I'm open to suggestions!

Day 30: 5 of my pet peeves are...

5.  My alarm on my Outlook at work. 
I know that I am the one that sets it, but every single time that thing pops up, it freaks me out. 

I need something more soothing than an annoying jingle and a pop up box that makes me think I've just been hit by an adult website or a trojan horse virus.  I think that if someday I fall over dead due to a heart attack, it's because my Outlook was reminding me of some stupid meeting I'm supposed to attend. 

4.  People who always "know" what they are talking about. 
I think I have encountered too many people that consider themselves educated in my lifetime, and I've even been guilty of being one of these people at one point in my life.  These are the types of people that when confronted with an ideal that does not agree with their life, they begin spouting off things that make them seem as though their opinion is 100% valid.  Here are some examples:

"My sister is a psychologist and she says that people are not homosexual due to any scientific or anatomical basis." 

"My pastor says that the Bible does not support evolution." 

"I bake cookies once per week, and you should always use cold butter and cut it into the dough rather than room temperature butter." 

Okay, well maybe that last one isn't soo bad.  But I have a problem when people base their opinions off of one single person or one single source.  Even worse than that is when my opinions are judged and my Christianity is deemed unworthy. 

(Yes, I've been told I was a bad Christian.  Apparently they didn't read Matthew chapter 7.)

With that being said, if you don't believe in evolution but your opinion is based more on multiple sources and you've actually read some papers, journals, or even books that have been written by evolutionary biologists then here's what I have to say:  YAY!!!  You have studied and learned, and decided for yourself.  I respect that opinion and I deem your words worthy. 

Also, on the same note, if you ask me to prove that homosexuality is hard wired into the brain or it's somehow biological and I cite theories that are currently being researched and reviewed then you need to respect that.  Just as much as I believe that the theory that homosexuality is anatomically based, then I resepct your theory that it is a choice.  Frankly, if someone is explaining any kind of a theory then an incorrect argument for their theory would be to reply, "But that's just a theory!  You can't prove it!" 

Theories are indeed only that, they don't claim to be the answer.  However, the next time that I'm explaining a theory that is currently being researched and they tell me that I can't prove it, my answer will be plain and simple and only one word: 

Yet. 

Also, if you're judging our country and the struggle we're going through right now with immigration and if you're out there protesting against what we're trying to do, then I sincerely hope you are a legal US citizen.  Otherwise, kick rocks. 

3.  People that refer to other people as "narrowminded."
Let's face it, a lot of liberals love to toss around the word "narrowminded" these days.  It's kind of like pointing a finger, three more are comin' right back at ya buddy! 

It used to be that conservative individuals were referred to as "narrowminded" because they didn't like change.  They favored tradition.  However, more and more I find that liberal men and women are using the term to describe anyone that doesn't agree with them, no matter if it's a matter of change or tradition. 

Liberals can have tunnel vision too, and I often find that they are like pitbulls when it comes to trying to change the minds of their peers.  I'm always open to discussions, but it's the people who are not satisfied with your company until you change your mind that bother the crap out of me. 

Just because someone doesn't share your opinion does not give you the right to judge them as "narrowminded."  In fact, your words back fire and you yourself end up looking like the narrowminded individual. 

2.  People that wear jeans head to toe. 
Come on.  You've seen it before, right? 

This image came to mind. Too much denim.

Celebrities can be attacked by denim too, right? 

Everytime I see bad denim happen to good people, I want to run up to them and ask them the classic line from Super Troopers:

"Are you the President and CEO of Levi Strauss and Co.?"

Alas, I am not that mean.  I usually just mutter "Canadian tuxedo" under my breath and walk away. 

1.  People who flaunt their assets. 
You know the type.  They can help you with something because they have a Master's Degree.  They never have that particular problem because they have a new car.  They don't argue with their parents because they are perfect.  They can wear any bathing suit in the world because they have no boobs and a tiny waist. 

(I don't know anyone that's ever said that last one, all of my girlfriends are real women and we're darn proud of it!) 

Well guess what?  I ain't buyin' it! 

No one is perfect.  No one knows everything.  No one has every object in the world.  Eventually I might know something that I can teach you or have something that you need to borrow, and I'd hate to see that day come and we're not speaking because you're so high and mighty.

Day 29: Keepsakes photo

This is my maternal grandfather, Don Kipp.  That's right.  The man I was named after.  And you're reading that correctly, he played for the Padres. 

I think I talk about him a lot, but the truth is I really miss him. 

Also really interesting is the discovery of my paternal grandmother's photo that hangs in the UCLA house of Alpha Chi Omega. 

You can read more about my grandmother and how I learned about her by clicking here. 

Day 28: The last piece of art I made

Well I wouldn't say that I've made any art lately.  But I guess that depends on your definition of art. 

I cook and I photograph things quite a bit, but unfortunately some people don't find food to be an art.  Strict artists sometimes don't call photography an art either. 

But here's a sneak peak. 

Mr. Birthday Boy in his perfect little tee shirt. 

My God son, Devin, and his grandfather, John. 

I've got to go now, because I promised I'd work up all of the cute photos for Devin's mom and here I am showing them to you!  There's lots of cute photos to work on! 

Day 27: Beautiful things

This photo was taken in Napa, CA on a very memorable trip with some of my co-workers.  I love ladybugs.  I love Napa.  I loved that weekend. 

Needless to say, finding things you love and delighting in them is a beautiful thing.