on the chili

Around here, we enjoy chili. But when I say enjoy, I really mean love chili. I thought it was time then that I share my ultra secret recipe because, well, not to toot my own horn here but.... this chili tops most. And what's even better... it makes the boyfriend uber happy. So here you are...

1. Brown 1.5 lbs ground beef in large skillet. It helps to use a pan that's big enough for the rest of the ingredients because really, who likes to dirty more than one pan? I would imagine you could substitute ground turkey but we've never done it.

2. Once it's fully cooked, drain all but approximately 1 tablespoon of the grease. The original recipe (I have absolutely no idea where it's from) called for 1 tablespoon of oil but I've found that it tastes better if you use the oil from the meet itself. Feel free to do either at this point though.

3. Chop 3/4 of a medium sized white onion and add it to the pan with the meat. Again, this can vary depending on your preference... Whole onion, sure. Half an onion, why not. Cook the onions on medium-high with the meet until they have a little color to them, about 8 minutes is what I usually do but don't worry if they're not cooked enough. They'll get there, I promise.

4. Add one can 14oz beans, with the sauce they come in. We use chili beans (in case you forgot what we're making here, it's chili) but pinto or black beans would be delicious too. Add one can 14oz crushed tomatoes. This might be one of those things that should stay as it is.

5. Add half a can of beer. We use Bud Light because it's always in our fridge thanks to the BF but changing this up will just add a slightly different taste to the chili as a whole. A darker/oaked beer could be really tasty. I really feel like the beer is what creates the essence of this chili, it adds a really unique flavor. When you add this to the pan make sure not to pour it all in one spot. It bubbles when you add it but not quite as much if you pour slowly and sort of circle the pan.

6. The next three ingredients don't have specific amounts because realistically, I just add it till it smells right but I'll try to estimate for you. Add approximately 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1.5 tablespoons garlic powder, and 2 tablespoons hot sauce (like Cholula). Play with the amounts of these three to fit your tastes. We like this spicy/zesty around here but this isn't too overpowering as it is.

7. Bring the pan to a boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. This lets the flavors really develop. I check in on it until it looks pretty consistent. It should all start to blend together and not look so much like beef separated from beans etc.

8. The final step is something that I've added specifically for our tastes. I add about 1/2 cup flour, a tablespoon at a time to thicken it. Try to sprinkle it over the top as you add it because the hot chili base can sometimes cause it to clump up and you'll get a blob of unmixed flour when you eat it if this happens. We like our chili thicker, less like soup which makes it perfect for eating with warm tortillas and a sprinkle of mexican shredded cheese.

*The chili freezes great so we often make a double batch. Change it up and use the left-overs for homemade chili-dogs or as a topping for nachos. If anyone actually tries to make this, please please let me know how it turns out! I'd love to hear

on my wish list

If I were to go on a shopping spree.... these are the things I would buy (in no particular order)

KitchenAid Artisan 5-qt Stand Mixer- Boysenberry

From Target

This would go perfectly with the mood of homemaker I've been in lately

Plus I adore, luuuv, swoon for the color

Xhilaration Juniors Hibiscus Bikini Swimsuit

From Target

With my upcoming beach vacation I've been dying to get

a new suit even thought I know I don't need one. There's nothing

like splurging right before a trip to have a new one and

this one is perfect. Just enough color for me.

18 x 18" Loft Plaid Pillows

From Target

I've been wanting throw pillows for our couch/chairs for a while now.

I'm sick of having to use regular bed pillows when we nap, it doesn't

look as presentable. These are the perfect amount of patter/color

without being obnoxious or difficult to match.

Alvine Trad Pattern Shade

From Ikea

All our lamp shades are old, non-matching and definitely outdated.

These would make a subtle but wonderful addition to our black lamps.

Print BoHo Shirt

From American Eagle

I recently received shorts almost exactly like those but from the Gap

and think this top would be perfect to pair with them. I've really

been enjoying flowing, comfy yet still cute tops lately.

Split Neck Tank

From American Eagle

I'd like to start off saying I would definitely smile, not

scour like Ms. Model here if I was wearing this top. I love the

color navy and my wardrobe definitely shows too much

of it so I'd get this in Summer Sun (yellow) or Strawberry

Gloss (pink/peach)

on a long overdue update

I'm sorry that I have been so MIA lately. I promise that I'll try to be better about it but for the past while there have been other things taking up my time. Between studying and more studying, wanting to enjoy summer at least a little bit, planning for my vacation, and the recent apartment searching I think it's fair to say that I've been busy.

By the way, has anyone figured out how to make more than 24 hours in a day? Because I definitely could have used that recently....

+ I've been spending most of my days, about 9am-6ish doing more studying for my upcoming MCAT. It is officially 20 days away and I'm surprisingly not freaking out this time. I think it's part to do that I've been able to do so much more studying this time around without having to worry about school related things on top of it. It's also because I've taken it once before so I know what it'll be like and I just recently, Tuesday actually, got my scores back for the first test. They were much better than I thought they would be so even though they aren't quite what I want, it's much more realistic to make up the extra points I need this time. It's been nice (not really NICE, but nice since I have to study) that the weather here has been nothing note worthy. Being stuck inside listening to lessons, taking quizzes, and studying flash cards would be much more difficult if it was 75 degrees outside and the pool was calling my name. With all that said, I thought I'd share with you a picture of my lesson book with my childish habit of drawing a heart ♥ instead of writing the letters h-e-a-r-t. I don't know when I started doing this but now it's almost like I can't help it. I was contently listening to my Kaplan Cardiovascular Lesson this afternoon and looked down to see all these little drawings and it made me smile, a nerdy smile but a smile none the less.

+ In the midst of everything else going on in my life right now I desperately could use a job. Like I have time for that, right? Yeah I know, when would that fit in. Maybe there's a job out there that pays $200 an hour so I can work two hours a week and be set... a girl can dream right? It's definitely not something I can really look for seriously though at this point since I'm all consumed with studying until I leave on vacation and will be gone for two weeks. And then right after that my best friend is coming to SD to visit for a week so I couldn't (more like wouldn't) start a job while she was here. It's all fine and dandy because I realize there's nothing I can do about it right now and I'll have plenty of time once all the vacations are done to job search. Plus, it's to the point that I'm really not going to be too picky with where I work as long as I can get paid. With all that said however, I've been trying to cut back on the money I spend since it's starting to get low. I've been making coffee every day at home instead of going to Starbucks even when I am craaaavving a Cinnamon Dolce Latte or a venti Iced Chai. I try to tell myself, "that's $4 you don't need to spend when you have a wonderful espresso maker at home." Maybe I need a new coffee creamer to spice up my home-brew, hmmm? I've also been packing lunches to take to school when I go to study. That way I can be productive all day and not be tempted to go grab Chipotle for lunch. My most recent "spend less money" kick has been to give myself manicures/pedicures. And I have to say, they are totally worth it. I have a tendency to get sick of the color I have on so doing it myself makes my less guilty when I decide to take if off. Pick up some handy Revlon or even splurge for some OPI polish and you'll have tons of good looks for like $8. Yeah it's much easier and much more relaxing to sit in a comfy chair while someone does it for you but this way you don't have to spend the extra twenty. My recent look, I did today actually, was a simple french manicure. My nails are finally to a good length and it looks great. Revlon "White on White" is definitely my favorite french polish and I used OPI "Who Needs A Prince" on top.

+ Many of you may or may not know this but I am a puppy fanatic. It's serious; I think I have puppy-addiction if that's even possible. I literally have to keep myself from being like the kids who ask, "may we pet your dog?" when someone's out on a stroll with their pooch. It's to the point that Jeff and I are moving specifically so we can get a pup of our own. Given that I'll be gone for two weeks, then Jeff leaves for a week, then the bestie comes to visit, we started looking for pet friendly places this week. It's shocking how many places say their pet friendly but then have weight restrictions of 25lbs or smaller so finding a place to get the bread we want limits our selections. By the way, we're getting a golden. However, we've been pretty successful in our first day of going to look at places. We found a place we definitely like already and are going to look at more complexes tomorrow. I can't even try to explain how ecstatic I am that this is finally happening. We've been talking about getting a puppy when we move for about a year and it's sooo close now! So as soon as we can lock down a place that we're going to rent, the search for a breeder can commence. I was already searching for breeders in Souther California last night, Jeff gets really annoyed when I do because I freak out at every picture. But seriously, how could you not want to give this lil' guy a huge hug!?! *squeal*

*Photo from puppiesforsale.com*

on longing for the past

The thing I miss most from summer at home with no studying to do and no responsibilities, basically life a few years ago, is definitely.... line dancing at The Grizzly Rose. Seriously, I miss those days. Like a lot. I miss not having a care in the world, calling up close friends and saying "hey, let's go to the rose" like it was no big deal. We would all be off work at nights, would car-pool there and never ever get tired of having a good time.

And now as I'm sitting in the library on a Friday at 4:00pm, having gotten here at 10:00am, knowing I have at least 2 more hours left, absolutely hating the o-chem I'm trying to finish.... this song happens to come through my head phones... all I want to do is go dancing with my friends, and it makes me so sad that I don't have that life anymore.

It's an awesome song, don't get me wrong. But there's something about a good country song that makes it feel like summer and makes me long for those days....

on a FOTD

Today I was off to Hospice to volunteer so I knew I didn't want to do anything too flashy or too overdone with my make-up. Ulta is having some great deals until May 29th so you should definitely check them out and take advantage of them, just like I did. :-) I purchased a total of four items, two of which I incorporated into my look for today.

Face

Cover girl-Liquid Powder in buff beige

Clinique- Blush Wear Cream Stick in rosy blush

Eyes

Origins- Underwear for Lids

Almay- Intense I-color in black pearl

Maybelline- Great Lash in soft black

Origins e/s- in Root Beer Float (outer lid and crease)

Ulta e/s- in Silk (inner lid and to eyebrow)

Lips

Ulta- lip stick in Nude Shimmer

SoftLips- Lip Balm in cherry

I have been wanting to get a nude lipstick that I can wear on a daily basis instead of just wearing the good ol' chapstick and I'm very happy with the ones I got. Along with the Nude Shimmer color I also purchased Solar Shimmer. I'm not much of a matte lip stick kind of girl so these two have the perfect amount of sparkle that I wanted. I used the Revlon Color-stay in soft nude, suggested to me by Tiffany at Will Work For Makeup, as a reference to the Ulta brand lip sticks. Included in my haul was an Ulta Professionals Nail Polish in Soho Pretty. It's sort of a purple grey color that was part of their Naughty Neutrals line. I have painted my toes with it as of now and plan to use it on my fingers tomorrow.

And the best part of the whole trip..... my purchase was HALF off, yes 50%, as in "I-should-have-paid-double" half off! Thanks to the buy 2 get 2 free deal and the 20% off one item coupon I had it was quite the steal! I'm not one to spend a lot of money on these types of things so when I can find a deal I definitely jump on it. So between my new stuff and the glass of wine I just downed, I can safely say I'm a very happy girl.

PS- Do we like the amount of curl in my hair today? I was sort of lazy/sort of wanted to be put together and this is what resulted...

on not quite being finished

So even though I'm finished with finals which is definitely a relief, I'm still trudging along with my MCAT studying and therefore have little if no concentration for much else as of right now. I'm pretty sure once I get into the swing of a study schedule it will be less demanding but as of now I'm definitely dragging from a full brain, sore eyes, aching back, and overall tired feeling.

However, the main purpose of this post is to inform you all that I have created two, yes two, new pages on my blog; one for my 365 project and one for my 100 List. They can be found on the top of my site and I would love, LOVE, love comments and criticism from any and all. They're much more accessible to see the progress for both and I just learned how to make them thanks to Cooper Culture at Wonderland or Not :-D

As soon as I get some more patience along with some more time in my life I plan on making a Book Review page as well. But given that my reading consists of study books and practice tests that'll have to wait. Hope everyone is enjoying the start of summer break. Enjoy!

on an update to Project 365

I promise that I've been keeping up with my 365 Project even though I've been seriously lacking on posting the pictures here. Sometimes my picture doesn't correspond with the blog I write or sometimes I struggle to find a picture for the day so I scramble at the end of the day to keep with my project. But I promise promise promise that I've taken a picture each and every day and so with that here they are....

I apologize that I'm not a great photographer, I'm trying and learning and would love any comments and criticism anyone has.

013/365

A birthday surprise filled with balloons, chocolate cake, and a night out with friends.

014/365

It's that time of year again that we all just love, finals. I'm lucky enough to not have too crazy of a schedule this semester but that doesn't mean I'm not spending time here, with textbooks, notes and powerpoints as friends.

015/365

I know this picture is sort of cheating because it wasn't actually taken today but since I don't live near my mom I figured it would be ok to use it anyways. Happy Mother's Day!

016/365

The sky was the perfect cloudy today, still showing some blue but with great clouds too. It's days lie this that remind me why I love living in SD.

017/365

My current mood: overwhelmed

018/365

In our adventure to find a bar last night we stumbled upon BJ and Todd who would play any song you requested as long as they had their google windows open. Sometimes this meant that your friend had to hold their iPhone to hear the song she wanted.

019/365

I drive past this house every week on my way to volunteer for Hopsice. This picture definitely doesn't do it justice. I took it while I was driving and would have stopped to take a better one but there was a truck behind me and I didn't want to make him upset. But the point is that it's an awesome house, one I would love to have.

020/365

Absolutely delicious and definitely not good for you but that didn't stop us from enjoying our wings and breadsticks for dinner last night. And you can't forget the pitcher of Blue Mood either.

021/365

Spicy Skillet Chicken from Betty Crocker turned out pretty yummy. But if definitely makes more than you think so be prepared for leftovers.

022/365

It was grocery day today and I feel like you can tell a lot about a person based on the contents of their fridge. I hope mine says good things?

on Magic Cookie Bars

Last week I made a delicious cake and one of the ingredients was sweetened condensed milk, something that you don't normally buy. I didn't need the whole can of it for the cake so I wanted to find something delicious to use it for. Then I stumbled on the Magic Cookie Bar recipe on the Eagle Brand website. (For those of you who don't know, Eagle Brand is the company that makes the sweetened milk so all they're recipes include it.) This was the perfect choice to use the rest of the milk because it's super easy, definitely a plus for me, and totally customizable for the things you like.

Start with a greased 13 x 9 pan. I opted to use a 9 x 9 pan because I didn't have the whole can of milk left. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs which you can buy or crush yourself. I chose to crush my own because that way you have whole graham crackers left over. It took 8 crackers to get 1 1/2 cups.

Once you have the crumbs, add them to 1/2 c. melted butter and mix. Take this crust mixture and press it into the pan. If you want, you can line the pan with foil and spray with cooking spray if you want it to be easier to remove the bars at the end.

Pour one can (14oz) of sweetened condensed milk onto the crust in the pan, I didn't use the whole can since my pan was smaller. You want it to cover the whole surface.

Now here's where the customizing comes in. The recipe calls for 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/3 c. flaked coconut and 1 c. chopped nuts but you can put whatever you want for the toppings. I decided to keep the chocolate chips because that's pretty much the basic topping for the bars. Then I added mini-marshmallows because I thought the graham crackers and chocolate chips would make it like a s'more. I love coconut but Jeff's not a fan of it so I put shredded coconut on one half and Reese's Pieces on the other half for Jeff. Like I said, you can substitute and add whatever toppings you enjoy.

Bake them at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. I had to bake mine for longer because the centers were too soft still after the normal baking time. I think this might be because I added more milk than I should have plus the marshmallows add to the "gooey-ness" of the bars. Once they've cooled you can loosen them from the edges and cut them into bars.

They made our apartment smell delicious and I definitely want to eat the whole pan already. But since we haven't had dinner yet, I'll have to resist.

on a memo to men

Attention men: there are certain things you should never say or do when in the presence of a woman and more importantly, there are things you should never say or do TO a woman; regardless of the situation.

For example, it is not appropriate to have oh, eight-ish beers, and decide to sit next to a girl in a bar who is with her boyfriend. And who is obviously with her boyfriend at that, not just out with a friend who is a guy. Then, please don’t bring your just-as-drunk friend to the table with you while you both continuously try to shake said-girl’s hand. And sensing that the girl doesn’t want anything to do with you, please don’t decide to shake the girl’s hand and kiss it extremely inappropriately following it with “is that your boy over there?” And to top it off, please don’t 1. ask “is that a digital camera” because obviously it is, what else would it be and 2. ask if you can take her picture because why would she need a picture of herself on her own camera taken by you, Mr. Creepy? Get the hint when she says, “no it’s ok, I have plenty of pictures from tonight” and don’t make her have to say “No. I’m fine” while grabbing her camera and her boyfriends hand at the same time. Then please get the hint, and walk away instead of sitting there, not talking to anyone while just staring.

Also men, if you have to begin your sentence with “most women find it offensive but….” then it’s probably because it is offensive and you should just close your mouth right there and not finish what you were saying. If you have to warn someone about what you’re about to say then the comment should just float in your head a never come out of your mouth. Because while you might not understand why it’s offensive or there might be some strange girls who don’t find it offensive, I can bet that most do. And in those situations there are few who will actually smack you on the side of the head, say, “don’t ever say that again” and get their feelings across to you. Most will say “ohh okay…” and shy away from the feelings they’re having. And this goes for anything you might say even if you aren’t sure if it’ll be offensive. If there’s even a doubt, just leave it alone and play it safe.

on feeling misunderstood

Being misunderstood is one of those things that I can't stand. Not "can't stand" in the sense that I want to yell and scream and make my opinions known but the "can't stand" that makes me want to curl into a ball and hide for the rest of the day because the feelings I have about myself are far from positive. The thing about being misunderstood to me is that I take myself and my beliefs very seriously, as everyone should, and feel a sense of violation when I'm portrayed as something that I'm not.

I've had to build my self image on my own, not that I don't have supportive family and friends now, but that wasn't always the case. In high school I had struggles with all relationships I was involved in; not just the boyfriend kind but the mother-daughter, the friend-friend... I had it all, which left me often feeling like I had nothing. For years, I tried to please everyone around me by conforming to the things they felt and believed. I like the same clothing, I went to the same services, I had the same group of friends. But I was lost. It wasn't until after graduation that the idea of having my own self, separate from those people around me and completely tailored to my own life, came and smacked me in the face. And I realized that deep within the conforming front I held for so long was a glimpse of the person I was supposed to be.

The guidance I received and the things that I learned were all from within my self and the experiences I had. I know I didn't always do the right thing and wasn't always the best friend/daughter/young woman, but hey, I did the best I could for being so alone. And while I had some serious self-doubt in those days, I pride myself that I've become who I am, on my own, and can be happy with the person I've become. But it literally tears me apart when someone thinks I feel something/do something/am someone that goes against my own definition of who I am.

The beliefs that I have and my opinions on everything in this world are truly 100% my own. Not to say that other people don't form their own self too but I was not able to build on the foundation laid before me. I was not guided into religion or self-respect or life goals from those around me and that's what makes me so defensive when someone misrepresents me. Friend or foe, I will defend myself. When I'm seen as someone I'm not, it goes against the triumph I've had through my struggles to make me who I am. I've gone through a lot, cliche I realize, to come to what I believe, so please don't try to take that away from me or act like I'm someone different.

Because in the end, I admit that I'm strong-willed but I believe I have the right to be. I believe that everyone should be able to voice their opinions, have their concerns and that it's okay for those to be different than others. Differences is what makes us human, differences is what brings people together and without them, who would you really be? You have not lived anyone's life but your own. You don't know what has shaped their personality and what makes their path different. You don't know what needs they have, the things they cherish or the things they take pride in. And while I may differ from you, I will also respect you, in every instance.

So how then, can you say my feelings are wrong?

on how to bake a cake

Today is my boy's birthday! I think I might be more excited about it than he is, I just love birthdays and making someone feel so great and special on their day. Since I don't have a job currently (:-/, I'll leave that for another post) I got him a few little gifts that will be reviled later but I wanted to do something special for him.... so I decided, what could be better than a delicious chocolate-lover's dream cake? Plus I hadn't used my new cake pan yet so this was my excuse. This cake, a Fudgy Chocolate Torte from Betty Crocker, was super easy even thought I was nervous to make it. I wasn't sure how to use a spring-form pan but it was a complete success.

Start with 1/3 c. sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) and 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips.

The recipe says to microwave it on half power for 1 minute until stirred smooth but it only took 30 seconds for me. I'm glad I checked it early because the milk can cause the chocolate to burn if it's heated too long. It should be completely smooth like this.

Next combine dry Super Moist Chocolate Fudge cake mix with 1/2 c. vegetable oil. Beat it on low for 30 seconds, don't worry if its crumbly, it should be. Take one cup of this batter out and set it aside.

To the remaining batter, add 2 eggs and 1 c. applesauce. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until it's all mixed. It's okay if it's grainy, that's from the applesauce so it's supposed to be. Pour this batter into a greased and lightly floured 9 or 10-inch pan.

At this point I had to heat the chocolate sauce from before just slightly because it sat for a little while and cooled, 10 seconds did the trick and it was smooth and runny again. Onto the batter in the pan, place teaspoon blobs of the chocolate sauce all over the top. It said to place more on the edges than the center, I'm not sure why and I tried but there was a good amount of chocolate sauce so I couldn't help it.

Remember that cup of batter you saved, now it gets crumbled onto the top of the batter/chocolate in the pan. If you want you can add either 1/3 c. chopped pecans or sliced almonds to the cup of reserve batter before you sprinkle it on top. I decided to omit this step because Jeff's truly a chocolate lover and isn't a fan of nuts. Again, it's fine if it's crumbly on top as long as there aren't any really big chunks.

Place the pan in the oven, heated to 350F, for 45-50 minutes. I set the timer for 40 just to check it and I only ended up leaving it in for an extra two minutes so definitely check it early. It's sorta hard to tell when it's done because the typical "insert-a-knife" test is hard with the blobs of chocolate throughout the cake. You're knife won't come out clean if you hit a chocolate pocket. In general, the cake should jiggle just a tiny bit when it's just done so give it a little shake to test. Let it cool for about 10ish minutes before you try to take the side of the pan off to make sure it holds its form. It should look delicious, just like this!

Can you say yumm-oo!? It looks awesome doesn't it. I may sprinkle it with a little powdered sugar or maybe get some whipped cream but I'm not sure at this point. I bet it'll be good with anything. I hope Jeff enjoys it and it tastes as good as it looks, I'll keep you updated when the taste-test commences. As of now though, it's sitting cooling on the counter (cool it completely before you cover and store it) staring at me with all of it's chocolaty-goodness.

on life and death

I had a stressful/motivating/heart wrenching/overwhelming day volunteering at Hospice today. It was probably the most I've interacted with patients in my time there and there was just something about today, something different. Different enough that I had to change my personal statement to include today's events. I am truly touched.

"This care is not just for families and it was in Hospice where I realized the reality of life and death. I visited with Ms. Suzie one afternoon, a 95 year old patient with end-stage kidney failure. She had a bald head, pale skin and spent most time sleeping. Normally she took her pills with yogurt but her disease required she have more liquid than yogurt so we switched to jell-o. I told her of the change and asked if it was ok. After she said yes, I spooned some jell-o to her blue lips and was shocked. She looked into my eyes and exclaimed, “it’s orange!” with a child-like grin spread across her face. In her last few days, Ms. Suzie truly exemplified that death should not be feared and life should be lived. I reached for her hand and promised myself to treat every patient with the simple joy and kindness she showed me that day."

010/365

011/365

012/365

PS- I promise that picture 010 is not of my boob. Well I guess technically it is but that wasn't the point of the picture people. It's the sunburn. It was my first day back in the sun and I got burnt and so I thought I'd document. Think sun...burn ok!? Don't judge me.

on a FOTD

In the spirt of the Rockies game Jeff and I are going to tonight, I decided to match my make-up with the purple tank-top I'm wearing to the game. Back in high school I used to have colored contacts I would wear all the time and that included purple ones. (I also had gold and green at some point too.) Because of those contacts and I think maybe because of a dance also, I had purchased some eye shadows from Origins in purple colors and still enjoy using them now, even when my eyes are their normal color :-) I still need to go buy a good nude lipstick at some point but that's not too high on my priority list as of right now.

Maybe I should break out a few pairs of those colored contacts again someday?

Face

Clean&Clear- Morning Burst Shine Control Moisturizer

Cover Girl- Liquid Powder in buff beige

Eyes

Origins- Underwear For Lids

Origins- e/s in Water Lily

Origins- e/s in Always Afternoon

Origins- e/s in Grape Crush

Almay- Intense I-Color in black pearl

Maybelline- Great Lash in soft black

It definitely feels like a weekend today. No class today, going out tonight.... if only I didn't have class tomorrow morning and the semester was over. *sigh* Remember to check out my progress on my 365 Project. So far so good as I've been able to find at least a decent picture for each day. Enjoy

on healthier nails

I've never been one to really promote products I buy. Most things I get are just normal every day things that everyone uses so I figure "why give my review when most people feel the same way anyways?" However, I have to tell you about this because its awesome!

I recently purchased Nail Tek Maintenance Plus as a suggestion from my mom. She's been using it and suggested that I try it for myself and I'm so glad I did. According to the bottle it's "more than just maintenance- it is continuing therapy to condition, protect, and improve long, beautiful nails" and that couldn't be more true.

My nails definitely need some help when it comes to, well growing in general. In high school I always thought it was because I was in the pool and chlorine too much so my nails weren't as healthy as they should be and much weaker than normal. But now that I'm out of high school and more specifically out of the pool I haven't really seen a difference in them. For whatever reason, I've been given nails that don't grow very quickly and are prone to dryness and pealing. For those of you with nice nails you probably have no idea what pealing nails is like but its literally like layers of my nails peal off like paint would. And when your nails aren't very strong in the first place, this process makes them paper thin and prone to tearing/breaking. But Nail Tek has significantly improved my sad nails! I still keep my nails relatively short since they are so prone to damage but they are definitely longer and healthier than before.

It can act as a base coat for under a coat of color or by itself depending on your style/preference. I've done both and the product has the same effect either way. You apply it every day without removing either the color you put over it or the original coat of Nail Tek. After a week, you remove all layers of Nail Tek plus color and start again fresh. The key thing that I've noticed in using it is to make sure you don't apply it too thick. Since you put it on every day, too much will cause clumps and over-kill and the product doesn't work as well. Overall, I'm very happy I bought this product and I will definitely be buying it again.

PS- Here are my updates on my 365 Project. Check out my pictures from the weekend and let me know what you think. :-)

007/365

008/365

009/365

on an update to the 100 list

I've been trying to fill this list to 100 as well as cross things off more lately but the progress is slow. A lot of my goals are things I can't just take the afternoon to accomplish but I definitely want to do them someday. I could really use some suggestions though for my last 16 things because I just can't think of anything. I guess the thing is that I don't want them to be too cliche just to fill up the list. I want them to actually be meaningful to me. (As well as measurable I might add- I haven't put, "be completely happy" because what's that truly look like? I'm very much a "ok I've done that completely now, so I can cross if off" kind of girl.) Any ideas would be greatly appreciated but here's the updated list anyways.

Completed things= Bold (14)

In-progress things= Italics (5)

1. Get into medical school
2. Be a bride
3. Be a bridesmaid
4. Own a home
5. Become a mother
6. Become a grandmother
7. Make a time capsule
8. Go to an Olympic game
9. Take pictures of great food I make
10. Teach my kids to read
11. Get a puppy
12. Go to the airport and buy a random ticket to a random place
13. Ride in a hot air balloon
14. Have my own Christmas Tree
15. Kiss the Blarney Stone
16. Get engaged with friends and family present
17. Run a marathon
18. Spend over $1000 in one store
19. Find my faith
20. Make and drink homemade Sangria
21. Vote in a Presidential Election
22. Donate my hair
23. Climb four 14-ers
24. Host a dinner party
25. Retire to Colorado
26. Tell someone I love them and truly mean it
27. Save someone’s life
28. Fall in love
29. Give blood
30. Draw a self portrait
31. Embarrass myself and not care what people think
32. Get Lasik
33. Drink a martini
34. Learn to golf
35. Wear a penny in my shoe in my wedding
36. Get a massage
37. Have a fortune teller read my palm
38. Throw a surprise party
39. Witness a death
40. Order breakfast room service
41. Paint a room a really loud color
42. Touch a horse
43. Whale watch
44. Legally change my name
45. Parasail
46. Scuba dive
47. Grow a vegetable garden and cook using what’s grown
48. Visit the Vatican
49. Own something from Tiffany’s
50. Knit a blanket
51. Write my will
52. Fly first class
53. Use a fire extinguisher
54. Go skiing in just a bathing suit
55. Stand in Times Square
56. Join a book club
57. Spend 3 months getting into shape
58. Jog on the beach
59. Change a flat tire
60. Get the guts to get the tattoo I've been wanting
61. Bake homemade bread
62. Give all homemade gifts for Christmas
63. Complete my "365 Project"
64. Go to a bonfire
65. Volunteer for a whole year
66. Make homemade ice cream
67. Go to the first Starbucks
68. Sew a piece of clothing
69. Do 5 pull-ups at one time
70. Work at a soup kitchen
71. Visit a winery
72. Not know the sex of my child till their birth
73. Own a DSLR camera
74. Take a photography class
75. Sky dive
76. Go skinny dipping
77. Keep a journal
78. Visit somewhere in the southern hemisphere
79. Read the Bible
80. Write hand-written letters to friends
81. Have a movie marathon
82. Graduate with a B.S.
83. Bake a birthday cake from scratch for a friends birthday
84. Paint a canvas

on a quick little something

So there hasn't been much to blog about lately, just the normal every day stuff that I'm sure everyone experiences. However I thought I'd share a few picture updates anyways and promise to try and write something more inspiring soon.

004/365

005/365

006/365

I was also listening to some Lady Antebellum while at the gym the other day, right before picture 005/365, and totally fell for these lyrics. I love them and thought I'd share.

'Cause love only comes

Once in a while

And knocks on your door

And throws you a smile

And takes every breath

Leaves every scar

Speaks through your soul

And sings to your heart