if you like the samoa girl scout cookie...

...or as it is sometimes called, the Caramel deLite--

well--i have discovered an alternative that is somewhat more healthy.

have you tried the kellogg's fiber plus bars? they offer a flavor called caramel coconut fudge that is yummmm-mmmy! in a blindfolded test, i bet that i couldn't tell the difference between the samoa and this bar.  here are the nutrition facts. compare & decide for yourself if it's worth it.  and if you do, let me know what you think....

i'm still here...

it does me good to say that i have been working on some projects lately--not to mention trying to get a grip on my 'out of control' workroom.  and i finally succumbed to joining the fun that is pinterest.  i have avoided it for about a year now--my nature is to spend waaaay too much time on such a cool site. but when 2 friends invited me--i couldn't say no.  so now, often when i have any time to be on the computer--that's what i am doing...not updating my blog. so--for the few of you that are still interested....i will try to be better about posting things.  i promise it is not for the lack of material!

i leave you now with, what is my favorite calendar to date, july...

it's an RV....just like the one that we shared with in-laws & cousins on one of the most fun vacations ever to yellowstone.  we had our share of mishaps--but i think that was one of the reasons that we still reminisce and laugh about it even though it was about 7 years ago...

bumper sticker limerick for the other side...teehee

where have i been...?

one word...ethiopia!

as i get back in the swing of things back in the fort--i will be sharing amazing stories and pictures from our trip...so please stay tuned!

for now--

june's papercraft calendar

a little tardy...

...but here is my may papercraft calendar--

it's rather cute, i think--

the fun thing about this tiki is the limerick on the back--

and if you remove the head, you find out why it 'trembles & knocks'...

teehee...a woodpecker! how cute!

did you get it....?

...royal wedding fever, that is?

well, i think i just got a mild case--i did not wake up to watch it live...all i did was watch a highlight show and visit a few news blogs that gave details and pics.

but i will say that two things caught my attention...

1. prince william's groom cake--

the actual groom's cake

you see, my family too is a fan of the mcvities biscuits [cookies], so i was intrigued by the whole groom's cake...and touched by the sentimentality of the fact that it was a favorite of his during his childhood.  well, it just so happened that one of his childhood chefs now lives in plano [go figure] and our local newspaper had an article about him and the recipe for this exact cake.  since i was going to a girls night out painting pottery party later in the week, i decided to give it try.  first of all--so easy!  and second of all--so delicious, if i do say so myself.  i have attached a photo of my finished cake complete with a british flag banner.  i have also attached a pic of a cross-section...please keep in mind that i am no food stylist!!

2.  corgis--

now i admit that ever since MHD gifted me with my precious penny, i have been smitten with 'all things corgi'. but it really wasn't until MDE and i watched the king's speech the other day that my love was rekindled, if you will. 

aren't corgis so fun...?  anyway, our newspaper highlighted some of the royal wedding 'keepsakes' and one that caught my eye was this knitting kit of the royal family--

...make this kit then you can recreate the wedding anytime--

i don't remember the kiss being like this...

but the best thing about the kit...

i even have gone so far as to email my sister [who happens to knit] a request for her to make me one!!

so friends...what was your take on the royal wedding?  did you get the fever?

recent reads roundup

i don't claim to be a book reviewer, so i will spare you too many comments on my recent reads...but, if you are interested--i will let you know a brief thought or two.

first of all, i must confess something.  when i received a kindle for my birthday, last november, i balked.  oh, i love the feel of a real book, the paper, the print, everything, i arrogantly said.  i would never use this contraption.  weeeelll, let me be honest--it did take until january for me to use my kindle, and although i still very much love an actual book (especially meaningful ones), i have embraced the kindle if for nothing else--once you read a book that you probably won't read again or weren't  particularly moved by it--it's perfect.  no giving away stacks of books (sometimes it feels soooo wasteful, you know?).

so on that note--my first kindle purchase...

i have already written a post about this book, so i won't bore you again...but i will say, inspiring and a fast read.

next, came this one--

a blurb about this one says this--

Following conviction for bank fraud, White spent a year in a minimum-security prison in Carville, La., housed in the last leper colony in mainland America. His fascinating memoir reflects on the sizable group of lepers living alongside the prisoners, social outcasts among the motley inmate crew of drug dealers, mob types and killers.

so, you might ask...why?  why read this?  well, it sounded interesting--i seem attracted to nonfiction/memoirs these days.  however, in my humble opinion, the parts about the patients with leprosy were intriguing but the memoir parts of the author were boring.

then came--

now...this is a memoir!  wow!  absolutely enthralling...

most people that are reading about zamperini these days are reading the book unbroken by laura hillenbrand.  i've heard it's good, but i wanted to hear the tale 'straight from the horse's mouth' if you know what i mean.  not only that, (although i haven't read her book) i have heard that she doesn't devote too much of the book to his renewed life back in the states after his ordeal.  i was fascinated by this story--beginning to end.  my only hope is that this amazing tale is all true...after reading his first book and being inspired, i now find myself disappointed in the latest revelations about greg mortenson and his 'three cups of tea'.

ok...up next--

ok...i tried to like this one.  it seemed to have things i enjoy reading about--a memoir, food, love, war.  only thing was...it was just 'meh' for me so i didn't finish it.  fail.

but onward i went.  next and staying with the middle east theme...

now this one i liked.  it's tagline was 'five sisters, one remarkable family, and the woman who risked everything to keep them safe'.  although i thought it would describe more harrowing events...my eyes have been opened to all about the restrictions the taliban put in place, especially for women, in afghanistan.  it's a quick, easy read. 

are you believin' just how many books i have read since january?  for some people it may seemed like nothin'...but for me, a world class procraftinator and slow reader, i have done well.

my next read was on a kindle, but not mine.  i borrowed MHD to read my next book--

i will just say...interesting.  i'm still not sure about it...my cynicism is showing, huh?

my last completed book was my favorite...and only because i decided to 'lighten it up a bit'...

let me preface my 'review' with this...i don't often read 'celebrity' books, but i made an exception, i guess, because i find her self-deprecating humor to be relatable...she doesn't really gloss over much.  also, i must say--the cover creeped me out a bit, but with a kindle...you don't have to look at it after you have seen it once!

anyway, this book made me laugh...through the whole thing.  i love laughing.  be warned though...if you are sensitive to curse words (well, actually just the f-word), she does use it a few times.

my latest purchase, that i have only just started and haven't decided about yet--

i'm hoping that it reads like one of my favorite humorist's books, the know-it-all and my life as an experiment by a.j. jacobs.  we will see.

i am also reading a real ink and paper book...

i am enjoying this one immensely but, as i said before, i am a slow reader. i really want to comprehend this one so it is taking me a loooong time.

now it's your turn...read any good books lately?  any suggestions for me?  and not to worry (as if you were...) i have been crafting, too so hopefully i'll post about those soon!

photography + lego = awesomeness

what is could be cooler than a photography contest using legos on gizmodo?

click on the link above to see the winning entries.

here are a couple of my favs....

by fisterlauren

by chuckpepperjr

my april papercraft calendar

it wasn't that long ago that i confessed to you my love of papercrafts.  well, you might recall that each month the curiosity group designs a papercraft calendar.  i must say i wait anxiously to see what each month will bring.

april, i didn't realize, is jazz appreciation month...so this month's calendar looks like this--

i'm not sure you can tell, but each day you are to 'spin' the record, revealing the day of the week and the number...so interactive!!! teehee

fun, fun....

now if may would just hurry up and get here!

new bracelets

it has been quite some time since i have posted anything.  no excuses--just lazy i guess.  lazy in writing only, though.  i have managed to do a few constructive things around the house + a few crafts.  on this post, i described a bracelet i made for myself [and wear all the time now].  well, a friend of mine wanted me to make her one...take a look--

curb link with tcu colors

then the same website that gave the instructions for the above bracelet had another really cool, fairly simple diy bracelet.  so, i made one for this same friend...it was a bonus surprise, but now i'm thinking i will make one for myself!  i just hope i can 'pull it off'.  what do you all think? too avant garde for me?

here is the designer bracelet that inspired this diy...

hex nut bracelet by giles & brother $250

did you notice the price?  well, for just a few dollars and cents...you can make your own designer inspired bracelet.  directions are found here.

sometimes i question...

....just how old i really am!  strange, i know.  i guess i just suffer from being 'young at heart'!  you see, i find such pleasure and joy out of doing things and seeing things that i believe are usually aimed at a younger crowd.  take for example some of my absolute favorite things:

legos

the muppets

picture books

working with felt

super corny jokes/riddles

video games that involve dancing

board games

and most recently...paper crafts.

see what i mean?  am i the only 40-something person who gets giddy over such things?  and this new found affection for paper crafts--i find it so relaxing...the precise cutting, the scoring and folding, the finished product.

a few of my favorite places [blogs] to find downloadable paper crafts [just in case you would like to give it a try]--

3 eyed bear

loulou and tummie

custom paper toys

marshall alexander/paper engineer

and the best one--curiosity group--which designs a character calendar for each month.

i've already thrown away january...but here are february and march.

aren't these so funny and cheery?

is there anything that makes you smile and feel 'young at heart'?

i sure hope so...

quick craft

as it happened last night--saturday--MHD was on call & MTSC was at a friend's house.  so i had the whole house to myself.  we haven't been watching much tv lately--just a couple of shows we dvr [side note...i'm using this word as a verb--teehee].  so i was surprised to see on our guide that this weekend is the free starz channels.  i promptly checked it out and i found a movie that i could watch and possibly enjoy...the karate kid.  the new one.  with jaden smith and jackie chan.  it's actually about kung fu so i am sooo confused about why they called it the karate kid--anyone have insight into this matter?

ok, back on topic.  since this movie is not terribly confusing, a la inception, and the dialogue is not hard to follow, a la the social network...i decided to craft while watching. it's not often that i can find something to craft that is not only cute, but quick...able to be completed in 2 hours or less.

the idea came from here.  these woven chain bracelets from a designer named aurelie bidermann can cost over $500!! examples--

well...for my designer inspired woven bracelet...i paid around $3 for the bracelet and i have so much embroidery floss from other projects that i consider it to be no cost.  so, what do you think? would you wear one of these?  did i make good use of my time?  comments are always welcome!

it's kind of hard to tell but my bracelet is actually silver...and i used a combo of taupes and teals

here comes the brides...

we have had the privilege of seeing two of our nieces get married in the last 7 months.  what beautiful brides, handsome grooms, and fun weddings they each had...


i'm not sure they read my little blog [highly doubt it], but i hope they don't mind me sharing a few details and images from these amazing events--

last june, ONL [my sister's daughter] took the plunge in atlanta. it was a beautiful outdoor event--complete with a seated dinner, fun dancing [well, it was where i learned The Cupid Shuffle!...now i am a 'hit' at all the hip parties...teehee], and yummy bite size desserts.  the veil was actually worn by my mother [i think. correction: it was new for my sister], my sister, and myself.

[i apologize for not giving credit to the professional photographer...but i can't remember his name. ...update: photographer was Nam Nguyen ]

last month, ONA [MHD's sister's daughter] was married in driftwood texas, just outside of austin.  it was quite the university of texas event since she was once a captain of the pom squad and the groom was on the football team!  the beautiful ceremony was to be outside but as they were faced with downpours, plan b went into action--which was equally as wonderful.  they, too, had dinner, dancing [we all were cuttin' a rug], and fun was had by all of MHD's extensive extended family.

[professional photos by taylor lord]

now as an added bonus--an action shot of my son and his cousins gettin' jiggy wit it--

...and such cute pics of 'the boys'

...and i can't leave out MDE

and lastly, a funny one--

MDE and her aunt were the cake servers.  however, trying to cut and plate cake for 350 people can take a while.  with the line to get cake growing, the mother of the bride [my sister in law] seemed stressed by the fact that it was slow going.  so i jumped in to help.  problem was--i had been dancing...and i mean, dancing! so i was super sweaty.  it didn't help that we were frantically trying to plate cake.  well, someone wanted to take our pic serving the cake...

so here is the 'before' pic

dabbing at the sweat...

still glistening