October 1: CD Player Day, Child Health Day, Fire Pup Day, International Day of Older Persons, Model T Day, National Lace Day, World Day of Bullying Prevention / Blue Shirt Day, World Habitat Day, World Vegetarian Day
October 2: Guardian Angels Day, International Day of Non-Violence, National Custodial Workers Day, Techie Day, World Farm Animals Day
October 3: Balloons Around the World Day
Happy National Lace Day! I will be celebrating in this dress from Muse Apparel.
Someday : )

October 4: Blessing of the Animals Day, Improve Your Office Day, Cinnamon Roll Day, Ten-Four Day, World Animal Day
October 5: Lee's National Denim Day, National Diversity Day, Walk to School in the USA Day, World Smile Day, World Teachers' Day
October 6: Cephalopod Awareness Day, Ecological Debt Day, Inter-American Water Day, Mad Hatter Day, National German-American Day, World Card Making Day
October 7: Change a Light Day, Intergeneration Day, World Communion Day, You Matter to Me Day
Well, Happy Cinnamon Roll Day! And just when I was getting down on myself for spending so much time putting together this blog, here is a great quote from Dr. Seuss to help me through - Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" You Matter To Me - Have a happy day and thanks for sticking with me!
Cinnamon Roll Waffles
by Crumbs and Chaos
Smitten Kitchen's
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
October 8: Columbus Day, Native American Day, National Depression Screening Day, National Kick Butt Day, National Pierogi Day
October 9: Leif Erikson Day, National Chess Day, National Face Your Fears Day, World Post Day
October 10: Emergency Nurses Day, Naval Academy Day, Stop Bullying Day World Mental Health Day, World Porridge Day
October 11: National Coming Out Day, World Sight Day
October 12: Free Thought Day, Day of Six Billion, International Moment of Frustration Scream Day, World Egg Day
October 13: Universal Music Day
Obviously, we will be indulging in pierogi until our stomachs burst for National Pierogi Day! I hope you get to have one, or at least see a picture of one!

In case you need help relaxing if you can't get your hands on some delicious pierogi,
or would like to celebrate Universal Music Day relaxing on your couch,
here are the Top Ten Most Relaxing Songs Ever thanks to Apartment Therapy!

1. Marconi Union - Weightless
2. Airstream - Electra
3. DJ Shah - Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix)
4. Enya - Watermark
5. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing
6. Barcelona - Please Don't Go
7. All Saints - Pure Shores
8. Adele - Someone Like You
9. Mozart - Canzonetta Sull'aria
10. Cafe Del Mar - We Can Fly
October 14: Alternative Fuel Day, Be Bald and Be Free Day, Clergy Appreciation Day
October 15: International Day of Rural Women, I Love Lucy Day, National Cake Decorating Day, National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day, National Grouch Day
CakeWrecks pretty much makes me cry of laughter every day with horrendous and embarrassing cake decorating fails. Every Sunday, however, they share cakes that wouldn't make you cry if they showed up at your wedding. It's nice to know that not every cake has to have words/names misspelled!

Also, for National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day, here is a DIY Computer Maintenance Checklist from Apartment Therapy to keep your virtual desktop running smoothly for years to come.

Happy grouching!
XO
 
What a wild week it's been. Where to begin. . . I drove down to Colorado Springs to fill in at an office I would KILL to work at. Met more really awesome people and had a pretty disastrous camping trip that actually turned out to be not-so-bad. Found a stray dog. Adopted said dog. Very crazy ten days.  I hope you had an awesome end to your May. Here's a list to catch you up on your holidays you've been so desperately awaiting!
May 21 - National Memo Day, National Waiters and Waitresses Day, Rapture Party Day
May 22 - Be a Musical Instrument Day, National Taffy Day
May 23  - Lucky Penny Day, World Turtle Day
May 24 - National Escargot Day, Brothers' Day, International Tiara Day, Morse Code Day
International Morse Code Alphabet!


Morse-coded necklaces, blankets and scarves - People would have NO idea they say something!!
So many Morse code crafts, I don't even know where to begin! I LOVE the idea of crafting hidden messages all over my wardrobe. Maybe some Morse Art coming up next??

Also, am I wrong in saying memo = Post-it? Check out this stop motion video of Post-its! Super cute! Happy Memo Day!
May 25 - National Missing Children's Day, Tap Dance Day, Cookie Monster's Birthday, Geek Pride Day, Towel Day, National Wig Out Day, Player Piano Day
May 26 - International Jazz Day, Sally Ride Day
In honor of Cookie Monster's Birthday, let's celebrate with a few cookie recipes! Giant S'mores Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies by Smells Like Home & Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies with with Marshmallow Frosting by How Sweet It Is! Yum!
May 27 - Sunscreen Day
May 28 - Amnesty International Day, Memorial Day
May 29 - Learn About Composting Day
May 30 - Water a Flower Day

Colorado is suffering from major wildfires right now so it's not exactly the most fun thing trying to breathe outside. I am lacking a need for sunscreen since I'm holed up in my dark apartment to keep the heat (and smoke) out. Let's travel to three places you might actually want to enjoy the sun and NEED sunscreen.
I want to sit on this dock with my feet dipped in the water and lather on the sunscreen until the sun goes does. Would you join me in Hungary for some dock-time? Come on!
Or maybe Canada is more your style? Watching the sunset over Lake Superior sounds like another one of those times that you would need ample lotion to protect you from the sun. Oh, Lake Superior, how I miss you.
Last, but certainly not least - a natural swimming pool in Samoa. I'm sure I would have a pretty hard time wanting to leave these crystal waters to reapply sunblock. Alas, I'm a fair-skinned strawberry blonde and would sizzle into oblivion if I didn't!
May 31 - National Macaroon Day, Save Your Hearing Day, World No Tobacco Day, What You Think Upon Grows Day

Have you read "The Art of Racing in the Rain"?? A quote that pops up a couple of times in this amazing book is "Your car goes where your eyes go" and I think that goes hand in hand with "What you think upon grows" - What an awesome way to live At-Cause in your life! Celebrate the things you have brought into your life and the things you have continued to grow by thinking on them! Congrats!

P. S. To save your hearing - I'm addicted to my Jack Johnson station on Pandora. Perfect for summertime, if I say so myself!
Happy sizzling!
XO
 
I love planning. And I don't know if you've noticed or not, but I now love planning my whole week of celebrations at once so I have a better idea of what I'm going to celebrate and when. I hope you like the new breakdown! Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 15th- National Chocolate Chip Day, Police Officer's Memorial Day, International Day of Families

For today's holiday, I bet you're thinking I'll have some decadent chocolate chip recipe. I know you all have enough chocolate recipes to last you a lifetime and I also wanted to spotlight a very important person in my life.

Today I have my very first guest writing for my blog, my very dear friend, Victoria VanBlaricom. As soon as I started going through the holidays for May, I knew I wanted to include her on May 15th's Police Officer's Memorial Day. She has an incredibly heart-breaking story, but it never ceases to amaze me how people emerge from terrible tragedies to become incredibly beautiful and forgiving people. There is no shortage of grace in this family and I am so honored to know even one of their beautiful members. Here's to you, Vicki! <3
Picture
Vicki and her husband, Jeff
Remembering my father, Officer Daniel John Dubiel

Where does one begin when discussing the tragic loss of her Father? I should start off with a little background on my wonderful family. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. They married young and had four kids - Tamiko, Chris, Myself (Vicki), and Heather. My mother was pregnant with a fifth child whom she was caring as a surrogate. Her name is Corey and she is a wonderful baby sister!! My mom was 7 months pregnant with Corey when the news was delivered that my father had been killed while on duty. Here is the article describing the details on my father’s death: 

July 9, 1987 ~ Officers Near Tears
Inkster, Mi-Police found the bullet-riddled bodies of three fellow officers inside a rundown motel room early Friday after a 70-year-old woman and her three heavily-armed sons emerged from the barricaded room and surrendered. The discovery, after a 10-hour siege punctuated by gunfire and a tear gas assault, dashed the hopes of law enforcement officials, who had been assured by the woman that her police hostages were still alive.

Buckley said Friday it appeared that all three officers, who had gone on a routine call late Thursday
afternoon to the motel to serve warrants on the woman and one of her sons for passing bad checks,
had been shot to death with automatic rifles as soon as they entered the woman's motel room. Buckley said the woman lied to police negotiators about the killings until she and her sons surrendered at about 3:30 a.m. Friday. The woman, identified as Alberta Easter, 70, and her three sons, all in their 40s, were being held in the Wayne County, Mich., jail and were scheduled to be arraigned today.

The slain police officers were identified as Sgt. Ira Parker, 41, a 15-year police veteran; Officer Daniel Dubiel, 36, a 13-year veteran, and Officer Clay Hoover, 25, who had joined the Inkster force in March. Each was shot twelve to fourteen times, police dispatcher Philip Rogers said.

Hoover and Dubiel had gone to the motel to serve the warrants at about 5:15 p.m. Thursday and then requested the help of Parker, their supervisor. As soon as all three police were in Easter's motel room, the motel manager heard a volley of about 20 shots from automatic weapons and called police. Four more officers responding were then fired upon with automatic gunfire and retreated. Buckley said that the gunmen then fired hundreds of rounds from the motel room. The shooting stopped after police responded with tear gas, but the gunmen were apparently well prepared for a siege; they donned gas masks and continued their holdout.

Over the next 10 hours, as hundreds of police, state troopers and FBI agents converged on the motel room, Alberta Easter continued to insist that she and her sons had taken the officers hostage. Wayne County Sheriff Robert Ficano said police had remained hopeful throughout the night that the officers were still alive, although Easter had never offered any proof. At one point, Easter negotiated with a local television reporter, who failed to persuade her to surrender Thursday night. Buckley said that she and her sons finally surrendered in the middle of the night, because of a combination of "time, fatigue and reassurances that they would be safe."

I was only 5 years old when this incident took place. Growing up without a father is not an easy journey - a little girl always needs her daddy. We, as a family, are VERY close.  We cherish each and every day we have with one another and our families.  I am now a wife and a mother of two boys.  I do not take one day for granted that I get to spend with them.  Each day is a blessing. 
It brings me to tears to think of the senselessness of the loss of fathers, brothers, husbands, sons over something as trivial as a $286, but I am so proud to know Vicki and her amazing family. Thank you Love! (And a note on justice HERE)
I have SO many pictures of trees saved on my Pinterest it's not even funny.

And, not that I ever need an excuse to wear purple, here is a super awesome color combo from Ampersand Design! Purple and tangerine, yum!
Wednesday, May 16th -
Love a Tree Day, National Sea Monkey Day, Wear Purple for Peace Day, National Employee Health & Fitness Day, Turn Beauty Inside Out Day


Thursday, May 17th - Pack Rat Day
Check out Apartment Therapy's Travel Tips including tips on preparing to leave, packing and traveling with pets. Here is their Packing Lightly: 5 Best Packing Tips. Also, head over to Onebag.com for even more helpful pack(rat)ing tips! Oh, and one last thing, an Interactive Packing List never hurt anybody!
1. You do not need to wear something different everyday, you do need to be comfortable and appropriate: With that in mind, I use a packing formula: 3 bottoms for 1 week, 3 tops per bottom, 5 bottoms for 2 weeks, deduct 1 top and 1 bottom for each dress.
2.If you are going sightseeing or to a city, always, even in the heat of the summer, bring a cardigan (women) or a dinner jacket (men).  Not every place in the world is as informal as the United States. On that same note, always pack one thing to dress up.
3. Unless you are going to Antarctica or camping, there will be stores where you are going and you can always get what you need or forgot there. Apart from contact lenses or prescription medicine, you will be able to buy it at your destination. And, if you're in a foreign country, the replacement product will likely be more interesting than what you're used to.
4.Forget the pack flat or roll debate. Bundling is best: Check out this method. Not only is it a space saver, it is genius at keeping your clothes from wrinkling.
5. Pack one space saver bag: Just in case you buy a lot while you're away, the space bag may help you avoid having to buy an extra piece of luggage to bring it all back in.
Friday, May 18th - International Museum Day, National Bike to Work Day, No Dirty Dishes Day, Visit Your Relatives Day, Endangered Species Day, I Love Reeses Day, NASCAR Day, National Pizza Party Day

Left to Right: Portobello Pesto Pizza by Brown Eyed Baker; Deep Dish Pizza by Eat, Live, Run; Garlic Bread Pizza Crust by How Sweet It Is; Mexican Pizza by Ready, Set, Eat!

I wish with my whole heart that I could be visiting my relatives today. Instead, I'll have to settle for a phone call or two and distract myself by planning my first ever PIZZA PARTY! It's not going to be today, but I AM inspired to plan one thanks to this awesome holiday!
Saturday, May 19th - Armed Forces Day, Boy's Club Day, Artichoke Day

Chicken & Artichokes in White Wine Sauce by Apple a Day
-- Yum! Probably a pretty tasty way to celebrate today!
Quick & Easy Strawberry Jam by Cooking on the Side
Sunday, May 20th - Be a Millionaire Day, Pick Strawberries Day, Neighbor Day

Happy picking!
XO
 
Happy Friday!! This weekend is FULL of really awesome reasons to celebrate! Eat what you want day? Count me in! National babysitters' day? I babysat my way through middle and high school! And then, of course, there's mothers' day! I hope you have a fabulously relaxing weekend full of good food, fun crafts and thanking Mom for everything she's done!
Friday, May 11th - Eat What You Want Day, Military Spouses' Day,
Twilight Zone Day, National Windmill Day

I LOVE Mexican food. If I could choose one genre of food to eat on Eat What I Want Day - It would be Mexican. So, I'm going to have Baked Chicken Burritos from for dinner and Sopapilla Cheesecake from Sing for Your Supper for dessert! But don't eat what I want, eat what you want! Check out my Savories Worth Saving and So Many Treats, So Little Time boards on Pinterest for more tasty ideas to help you celebrate! P. S. I'm also addicted to Pinterest!
Saturday, May 12th - Birth Mother's Day, Fatigue Syndrome Day, International Nurses' Day, Limerick Day, Hug Your Cat Day, National Babysitter's Day, National Mini Golf Day, Odometer Day, Stay Up All Night, World Belly Dance Day

I like to think I was the greatest babysitter in my day. Looking back, I was probably a little on the boring side - letting kiddos do pretty much whatever they felt like without much structure. I wish I would have had access to the awesome crafting ideas for fun things to do back then, but I bet they still appreciated their freedom at least a little! Above you'll find Tie-Dying Basics (for the older ones) and DIY Kid Plates (to ENCOURAGE playing with their food! I bet Mom and Dad would have really appreciated THAT!)

Sunday, May 13th - Frog Jumping Day, Leprechaun Day, Mother's Day

I'll make this quick because I know your google reader is getting blown up by mother's day stories and tributes. If you feel like hearing a little more about the mothers/women in my life, check it out HERE. I sent my mom this really beautiful silver infinity bracelet and she had to wait WEEKS to open it for mother's day. I LOVE surprises!!

Monday, May 14th - Dance Like a Chicken Day
Last, but not least, for dance like a chicken day, I'd like to share my new favorite dance song. I am not one to dance in the car, but I find myself bee-bopping around to this tune. I love love LOVE The Sound of Sunshine by Michael Franti & Spearhead. It makes my heart sing!!
Happy weekend and work week!
XO
 
Well, I have returned from vacation (dead porcupines, snow in the desert and ghost towns just to name a few of the fun things we experienced) and am already planning our next trip! I know I've been gone for a while and instead of bombarding you with ten separate posts to sift through, I'll do a quick recap of the last week and get us caught up on the next few days! Apologies and enjoy!
April 20 - Look Alike Day, Volunteer Recognition Day

For Look Alike Day, I would like to share Irina Werning's BACK TO THE FUTURE (1 & 2) series as well as something I only found today - Dear Photograph. If you've seen it before, you know what I'm talking about when I say "Holy tear jerker!" Here are a few pictures I was thinking of trying to duplicate.
April 21 - Kindergarten Day / April 22 - Girl Scout Leader Day, National Jelly Bean Day

Now, I know what you're thinking - "Enough with the old pictures!" But it's Kindergarten Day!! And Girl Scout Leader Day!! Just one more. . . or maybe two.
I LOVE OLD PICTURES!!
I think this was right around Kindergarten age -
I can't seem to find my school pictures from this
year though!
My mom's girl scout troop!
Heather Falker, Amber Foster, me, Danielle Rubis, Danielle Brandenburg, Angela Falker
and Jessica Shega-Fox.
Oh, and our apple turkeys for Thanksgiving!
April 23 - Lover's Day, National Zucchini Bread Day, Take a Chance Day, World Laboratory Day

What could possibly be better than a big hunk of zucchini bread for breakfast? Did someone say Zucchini CAKE?? Yes! That could possibly be better. Thanks to Elise on Simply Recipes for her grandmother's zucchini cake recipe!

On a semi unrelated subject - In honor of Take a Chance Day, I'm thinking about jumping on the "I'm going to do a triathlon" train. For the past month I have been taking swim lessons to learn to lap swim and I CAN DO IT! This was always the leg that was the most intimidating, but now I really think I could handle a sprint triathlon. I'm not going crazy and signing up for a full length or even an Iron Man just yet, but baby steps are still pretty exciting! My research starts today!! 
Starting April 24, we went away on a mini-vacation to southern Colorado. While it wasn't exactly a dream every step of the way, it was the perfect Pig in a Blanket Day celebration!

Day 1: Dropped Odie off at his favorite buddy's house (THANKS KATE AND SARAH AND LITTLE MAN!) then started the drive to South Fork, Colorado. Justin bought me a voucher for a two-night stay in a jacuzzi suite at the Spruce Lodge for my birthday and it was time to redeem that baby! We had the Rio Grande suite (most of the pictures in the video on the website show our room!), ate at The Shaft right next door for dinner and soaked it up in the hot tub (or luke warm tub, but who's counting?).

Day 2: Hiked to Treasure Falls, tried hiking to Opal Lake but the road was closed. Enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Tequila's in Pagosa Springs. After our morning was enjoyed, the weather turned nasty and we headed back to "home".

Day 3: Off to Great Sand Dunes National Park! Tried hiking to the top of High Dune, but a monster of a thunderstorm squashed that idea. So we watched bad-ass lightning over the dunes from our stellar campsite with a view! Then it rained all night. We slept in the car and awoke to SNOW in the DESERT! Crazy, stressful, testing vacation, but I know who I want to be with during the next thousand crazy, stressful and testing vacations to come.


April 25 - Administrative Professionals' Day

April 26 - Hug an Australian Day, National Pretzel Day, Richter Scale Day, Take Your Daughter to Work Day

PLEASE try these for National Pretzel Day!! Please!


For Take Your Daughter to Work Day, I would like to showcase my dad. My dad is the best mechanic in the whole world. He has been the best mechanic in the world for over thirty years but, last year, he got hurt. His back no longer wants to put up with lifting humvee tires, giant engine blocks or any other plethora of heavy machinery. A few days ago, he got a new job! No lifting, twisting, crunching or grunting necessary. I am SO proud of my padre. He has worked so hard and deserves every ounce of good that comes his way.
My progress so far - I feel that my pictures tell a better story than my words ever could.

April 27 - Babe Ruth Day, National Prime Rib Day, Tell a Story Day
April 28 - Great Poetry Reading Day, Kiss Your Mate Day
Justin and I have way too many kissing pictures. WAY too many.
April 29 - Greenery Day, National Shrimp Scampi Day

I hate shrimp. Like LOATHE shrimp. So, I'm celebrating Greenery Day
with all things wonderful, tasty, beautiful and GREEN!
Avocado Pesto Pasta by A Cozy Kitchen
and
Sweet Life Kitchen's delicious green smoothies . . . try one or all four!
Pistachio Cake by The Sugar Turntable (she has tons of other adorable
cake recipes and ideas!)
and
Faroe Islands waterfall
thanks to Something Beautiful . . .
wish I had a tiny cabin directly behind where the photographer was standing.
April 30 - Hairstyle Appreciation Day, National Honesty Day

I will be leaving you with some wonderful hairstyles to appreciate for Hairstyle Appreciation Day. First, A Beautiful Mess.
Then, a perfect side braid from Bride to Be.
Kate from the Small Things Blog's braided back!
Last, but not least, Great Length's funky and fabulous PURPLE underneath!
Happy bombarding!
XO
 
Blah, Blah, Blah Day, National Cheeseball Day,
Pet Owners Independence Day
Yesterday, I discovered Stephanie Cooks. She used to love cooking with cheese, but has more recently begun dairy-free recipes as well - which I think is pretty cool. Diversity! Anyway, the first two recipes are hers and the last is by the lovely Delicious Meliscious.



I'm not really sure what Keugal is, but it sounds divine. Cream cheese, butter, sour cream - count me in! You may need to prep with a quick 10k jog to offset the calories, but I bet it's totally worth it!
Pierogi Lasagna - holy crapoli. Easier than taking an entire day to make "real" pierogi, but probably not the same. Who cares. They look deliciously cheesy and buttery and bad-for-you. . . -ey. Yum!
Pierogi, Wojcik-style. I'd share the recipe, but it's a family secret. Oh ok! Flour, water, eggs, salt and pepper for the dough - That's all I can give up! Maybe someday I'll share the rest! Ooooooh, the suspense is killing me!
Last on the list of National Cheeseball Day celebration recipes. Restaurant-Style Queso Blanco thanks to Delicious Meliscious! I cannot WAIT to try this! 
Happy cheesing!
XO
 
Big Wind Day, Russian Cosmonaut Day, Grilled Cheese Month
Before you fall to far into the melty, ooey, gooey cheesy goodness that is Grilled Cheese Month - Here's a pretty sweet article about the first female cosmonaut in outer space!
Ok, now that you're smarter, please feel free to dabble in the new and mysterious world of adult grilled cheese. Oh my. I mean, seriously.
Oh. Sweet. Jesus.
PLEASE make Jillee's Grilled Cheese for Grownups.
This isn't your grandma's grilled cheese. This baby is a delectable delicacy
complete with creamy avocado, fresh tomato and melty Monterrey jack cheese.
Yum!
I would sell my first born for this bread. Or maybe I'll just make it myself.
Thank you for completing me, How Sweet It Is.
Oh, sorry! I didn't see you there. I was off jogging a brisk 73 miles in preparation for Michelle at One Ordinary Day's homemade beer bread grilled cheese.
Gotta get my burn on before I pack on these massive calories.
The best part of waking up is a breakfast panini served to you in bed!
Karly at Buns in my Oven may have changed my morning routine.
Last, but certainly not least, Smells Like Home's Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese. Holy moly.

P. S. My boyfriend just said "I can't marry you. I'm marrying that sandwich." Great!

Happy melting!
XO
 
Doctors' Day, Take a Walk in a Park Day, I am in Control Day, Pencil Day
P. S. Create your own wall-mount for colored pencils HERE!

I am TOTALLY in control today!
Here's a recap of my 26 before 26 to show just how IN CONTROL I am!

(After I re-read this, I'm realizing that I'm actually OUT of control. . .

SO proud of my accomplishments so far this year. Keep it coming!)
1. Climb three more Fourteeners.   
    a. Mt. Elbert - Sawatch Range - 4700ft elevation gain /  9 miles
    b. Mt. Lincoln - Mosquito Range - 2600ft elevation gain / 5.5 miles
    c. Grey's Peak - Front Range - 3000ft elevation gain / 7.5 miles
    d. Torrey's Peak - Front Range - 3000ft elevation gain / 7.5 miles
    e. Quandary Peak - Tenmile Range - 3450ft elevation gain / 6.75 miles
                (CONQUERED!)
    f. Mt. Democrat - Mosquito Range - 2150ft elevation gain / 4 miles
    g. Mt. Bierstadt - Front Range - 2850ft elevation gain / 7 miles
2. Go camping at least five times this summer.
        Moab, UT / Southfork, CO / Fort Collins, CO / Glenwood Springs, CO / Aspen, CO
3. Go skiing at least once this winter.
        Below: Eldora skiing near Nederlands, CO. I forgot how much I love skiing!! I also
            forgot how fast you can get sunburnt in Colorado! I burned my eyeballs!!
                Worth it!
4. Rent a house.
        Don't really have to worry about this until September, but I'll admit I already
            started looking on Craigslist. Then I realized how much it sucks to look for a
                place to live and stopped! Phew!
5. Ride my bike to Denver.
6. Keep one plant alive for an entire year.
        So far, so good! Our money tree is actually sprouting new little leaves and stems!!
7. Lost 10 lbs OR two sizes.
        I started on the Herbalife "diet" (I hate saying I'm on a diet... It's more of a lifestyle
            thing for me!) Check out Rightfitt Nutrition for more information (if you're in the
                Northern Colorado area!)
8. Read 10 books.
    a. A bunch of Stephen King books.
    b. A book about a flu pandemic.
    c. I'm thinking about starting in on the Hunger Games. Yes? No?
9. Document my 25th year through pictures.
        So far, I'm doing alright. I'm going to start nagging Justin to take more pictures
            because ME taking pictures means I'm taking pictures of OTHER PEOPLE's lives
                during MY 25th year. Hmph!
10. Continue on my path to becoming a Hygenius. (Genius Dental Hygienist!)
        I LOVE YOU, SHANNON!
11. Run at least one more 10K.
12. Try 25 new recipes.
    (A few below, but for more SUCCESS/FAILS check out my
        "Defying the Pinterest Stereotype Pinboard HERE)
    a. Baked Banana French Toast = FAIL
    b. Fruit Dip = SUCCESS
    c. Brownie Pops = SUCCESS
    d. English Muffin Bread = SUCCESS
    e. Dulce de Leche = mild SUCCESS /
                                 possible REDO
    f. Greek Yogurt Dill Dip = SUCCESS
g. Buffalo Chicken Dip = SUCCESS
h. Pretzel Cheese Sauce = FAIL
i. Chocolate Lovers Cupcakes =
    ULTIMATE FAIL, I might not
        understand baking for higher
               altitudes yet.
j. Soft Pretzel Bites = SUCCESS
13. Build a bridge with my sister.
        Trying. . .
14. Re-vamp my wardrobe.
        Waiting on #7! Polyvore helps =)
15. Complete 10 DIY projects.
        Again, check out my Pinterest HERE. So far, I've done. . . Bowties, Valentine Chapsticks,
            Back-to-the-Future pictures (Below is my first of many with this project - I HAVE
                SO MANY MORE IDEAS FOR THIS ONE!!), Gold-Dipped Wine Glasses,
                    and Watermark Tee to name a few!
16. Get a smart phone and not kill it.
        Keeping my fingers crossed!
17. Go on a cruise.
        No plans yet, but I'm totally open!
18. Go on a hot air balloon ride.
        Making reservations TODAY for our 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
19. Get all eight Harry Potter movies.
        Done. Watch all eight Harry Potter movies = DONE! Now I get to start playing the
            Lego Harry Potter I got for Christmas! Haha!
20. Call one family member per week (not counting my mom or dad!)
        Not doing so hot on this one. I call my Mom at least every week. Talk to my Nana,
            Aunt Deni, Aunt Lisa, Papa, too - But I'll get back on this!
                Start scheduling in my planner!
21. Volunteer for at least one dental event.
        Been doing research, but haven't found THE ONE yet. So why not do them all??
22. Have a dinner party.
        In the planning stages. I'll probably end up with 73 by the end of my 25th year.
            Not even something to complain about!
                Get ready for dinner parties galore, friends!
23. Celebrate three years with the love of my life.
        August 28, 2012 - Let the countdown begin! 140 days!
24. Take one vacation by myself.
        Also in the planning stages. Going to take a weekend by myself.
            Maybe take a pup along? Gotta get those vacation juices flowing!
25. Buy (and use) one new attachment for my KitchenAid.
        These buggers are EXPENSIVE! And I can't quite find a need for any of them enough
            to shell out $60+. . .  This one might not get done. Maybe I'll do one recipe with
                each of the attachments it came with.
                    Bread hook, whisk and regular paddle - Here I come!
26. Turn 26!!
        Let me check - yep, I still have a heartbeat. On the right track!
Holy crap. What a whirlwind three months it's been. Looking forward to my next nine months as a 25 year old! How are your resolutions going?
Happy being held accountable!
XO
 
Vaffeldagen (Waffle Day), Tolkein Reading Day

Oh m gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh . . . PLEASE celebrate Tolkein Reading Day with some of these recipes (Or these recipes!) while you savor a chapter or two of LOTR!
Also, cake mix waffles from Laura with Come Together Kids for breakfast??
Happy Reading!
XO
 
World Tuberculosis Day, Berries and Cherries Month
Sweet Cherry Pie by Elise & Simply Recipes
Cherry Crisp by Brown Eyed Baker
Happy baking!
XO