It's About to Get Geeky Up in Here

So I have exciting news...Josh and I are going to our first con, AdventureCon!  I'm really excited!  My geekiness has budded and is blooming into a TARDIS blue colored loveliness lol.  Another reason I am excited is that we are going with friends.  I love having friends!  Josh and I am so shy that friends can be difficult to obtain.

Naturally, we are going to dress up.  I mean, duh, if you're going to do it, go all the way right?  The thing is, the con is in just a couple weeks so we don't have a lot of time to make truly epic costumes.  Josh is going to be the 11th Doctor because it is an easy costume, tweed coat, suspenders, bowtie, slacks.  Simple simple.   

The problem is my costume.  My first thought was to go as Amy Pond, the 11th Doctor's companion.  Her look is just so contemporary that no one would really know I was dressed up.  Plus there is a part of me that wants to be a little more...ambitious.

I really like the Alice in Wonderland look from the newer movie.  I think I could rig up some sort of Star Trek uniform (not in red preferably, the red dressed people tend to be rather disposable lol).  What I would Really like to do is to do one of these vintage Disney dresses.  I read a tutorial on using a couple of old prom dresses to make something of the like and I'd like to do it.  When I first saw this on Pinterest I was immediately struck by how cool it would be to cosplay it.  Of course, on the downside, no one would know immediately who you were supposed to be.  Decisions, decisions.  I need opinions.  Hit me with them!

Coronary Corn Chowder

I love soup of all kinds.  I stumbled across a corn chowder recipe last winter that was SO good.  Being me, I of course can't leave any recipe alone so naturally it is modified to my taste.  You should try it, it's super yummy.

Ingredients:

1/2 stick butter (4 tbls)

3 slices bacon, cut into pieces

2 peppers, finely diced

3 cans of corn, drained

1/4 cup flour for thickening (more or less)

3 cups chicken broth or stock

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup skim milk

2 cups cheese

1 cup spinach

1 tsp garlic

1 tbls onion powder

Pepper to taste

Bread bowls

Toss it all in a crockpot except for the spinach and let it cook on low for several hours.  I didn't have tons of time so I added everything in together and only let it cook for two hours, but on high.  I've also made it on the stovetop and served immediately, so just do what you have time for.  Crockpot cooking will really cook out the flavor in the peppers though.  

To "make" a bread bowl, go to WalMart and buy a bag of their hard rolls from the deli section.  Use a serrated to cut of the very top of the roll.  Take out the middle portion as thoroughly as possible without lessening the stability of the roll walls.  Keep the middle parts if you want to dip in the soup if it's soupy.  Serve in the bowl and make it look like  you made that from scratch ;)

Dreams

Isn't it funny how dreams change throughout life?  I was thinking about this today in relation to Josh who is in his first semester at UT and Eli who is just about to graduate high school and trying to plan the rest of his life, as if that's possible.

When I was little I dreamed of rooming with my bestest friend and working at a bank through college, dating really cute guys, and driving a corvette.  I did room with my bestest friend and I ended up marrying a really cute guy, but I never cared for banking and I never drove a corvette.

Then of course, Legally Blonde came out and I was totally enamored.  I wanted to be a lawyer.  Haha!  I am about the most non-confrontational person you will ever meet.  I would not survive in the dog eat dog world of criminal law.  Still that was a dream of mine for a long time.  I even joined Mock Trial.  I got a guy to perjure himself on the stand, the judge complimented me, said he dreaded the day he faced me in a real trial. It was a real high point.

After that, my dreams became a little more abstract.  I wanted to work at a place where I could wear New York and Co. and White House Black Market every day.  I know, I know, it's a weird dream, but it's what I wanted.  It symbolized having "arrived".  Shrug, and I like the elegant simplicity.

Now I just dream of being somebody, somebody special, and not just to Josh and Mom; they think I'm special no matter what.  Of course I dream of being the best wife and one day mom (hopefully) that I can be, but I still have dreams outside of my identity as defined by others.  That's odd to me because I figured getting married would sort of end my dreams but it hasn't.  That doesn't make any sense, but that's what I thought lol!  It will be fun to see how my dreams change as time passes.  Maybe one day I will wear NY and Co every day when I sit on the Supreme Court ;) LOL!

What did you dream about?  How did your dreams change with time?

Last Friday Night...And Saturday and Sunday

This weekend was very good!  I know that's it's been several days since the weekend but I can pretty much only use the computer on Wednesday because Josh doesn't need it.  His homework supercedes my blogging lol.  Here's several pictures from the weekend.

I made these.  They were SUPER good.  Just croissants with nutella dipped in a butter bath then rolled in cinnamon and sugar.  Takes three minutes to prep, 13 minutes to bake, so basically you are sixteen minutes from sweet chocolately goodness.  I'll wait here while you do that.  Waiting...humming...oh good you're back.  I also made this pumpkin gingerbread trifle and this autumnal soup.  Don't  you love the word autumnal?  I do.  The trifle was good but I suggest combing some cream cheese with the whipped topping.  Skip the soup.  It was too sweet and baby food consistency.

I did some autumn decorating.  I hung up this ugly wreath.  Well, it isn't That ugly, just not my style.  The previous owners left it behind.

I got this cute little candle holder in the shape of a pumpkin.  Then I put mulled cider tealights in it.  Mmm, smells good.  Besides smelling good, this cuteness was originally $30, but there was a half off sale at Kohl's so it was $15 (I bet you could do that upper level math in your head couldn't you?) and I had a $10 off coupon so it was $5!  How great is that!

I decorated my mantle.  I really like it, but it isn't "finished".  I have this crafty creative friend who has a beautiful mantle, see.  My mantle aspires to that greatness but it isn't there yet.  Please don't tell my mantle as it would hurt its feelings.  I think it needs height and fake leaves.

Then I colored my hair.  Am I old enough that I should be ashamed to tell people I color my hair?  I never like any hair cut or color at first, but I am already getting used to it and am liking it a good deal better.  It's the first time I've ever colored it by myself, it's a bit patchy as a result, but still an overall good effort.  We are calling me Patchy Pippi! (Pippi Lockingstocking?  You remember her?)

Then I went to a Pinterest party at a friend's house.  It was such fun!  I took the bad soup and the good trifle since they were Pinterest recipes.  I also made this much prettier wreath for the front door (the other is on the side door).  Isn't it fall-ish?  It makes me smile :)

My weekend was great!  I hope yours was as well, if it wasn't, at least you are halfway to another one!

End of the Kitchen Renovation :D :D

It's done!  Countertops were installed today!  It was a magical day lol.  There are a couple of minor things that have to be done, like touch up on paint, but I'm counting it as done as far as posting about it goes.  I am soooo glad it is over.

Here is the before.  Also, it makes me excited about Christmas.  Look at all the Christmas goodies!  Mostly though look at how ick the kitchen looks.

 

Here it is afterward.  How different is that?!  I think it is WAY better!  I think we made a good choice to do it, it will probably help the resale value and it makes me smile :D a lot... :D :D

Here are two close ups, one of the pretty counters and one of the new faucet.  I really like the faucet, don't know why.  I just think it's cool.

Thanks for following our renovation!  It's been a time of it.  All renovations take twice as long as you think it should.  At least twice as long.  I am always so excited to start a project but I am always more excited to finish one.  Our house is becoming our dream home :)  

BTW, some random words are showing up as hyperlinks in my posts.  Until I figure out why this is happening, don't click on any link that doesn't seem legit.  I don't want anyone to wind up with weird spam or something from my blog.

Mission Trip to Uganda

I am just warning you up front that I'm not sure this post has a lot of a point.  It's more just a stream of thoughts.

I have wanted to go on a mission trip to Africa since I was a very little girl.  I used to think that I would be a "professional" missionary to some tribe in Africa.  I found out a couple of weeks ago that my church is heading to Uganda next July.  When I first heard the news I thought "That's it.  I'm going.  Woo hoo!"  There was an informational meeting two Sundays ago.  Of course I went.  I really thought I was basically going to figure out how much money I needed to scrounge up to go.  When I got there and was listening though...it just didn't totally click into place.

The church is partnering with an organization called Sweet Sleep.  Basically they minister to displaced orphans and give them bedding and a mosquito net (malaria is a real threat) and a Bible.  The also give out antiretroviral drugs to kids who are HIV+ and have already registered with the organization.  These are obviously great aims and things that need to be done so I don't know why I'm not jumping up and down to go like I thought I would be.

Part of my issue is that I would be holding precious little orphaned babies so they could get a few hours of deep sleep (they are really afraid at night and get very little sleep).  I don't know if I could hold a basically unwanted/unclaimed child and then just leave him or her in that place.  I just don't know if I could do it.  Another part of the issue is that no one seems to be really pleased with the prospect of me going, besides Eli that is.  Everyone thinks it would be dangerous and risky and emotionally rough on me and expensive.  I guess that's something to consider.  The final issue is that I just don't know if I'm supposed to go.  My head says yes because it is a good organization and I've already wanted to do a mission trip like this...but my heart isn't necessarily on the same page.

Yep that's the entirety of the post for tonight.  haha.  Such focus.