Que sera sera!: June 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Twilight pre-party

Did anyone see it yet?! My girlfriends and I had a little Twilight catch up party last night. We intended to watch Twilight and New Moon but 3 DVD players later we settled on New Moon and added our own commentary. Good times. Even better was our creative feast.

First course:

Cheese ball and dips. Because we are aware the movies are CHEESY, and we love them anyway

Money shot #1. Hello Volvo...and Edward

Second course:

Volturi bruschetta

Sloppy Jacobs (Edward's sloppy seconds)

Smile if you're team Edward

Ouch! A paper cut. I'm aware I look like Andy Samberg here. Thanks.

Third course:

It's pale white and ice cold...find the recipe HERE

WOLF BALLS

Vampire attack!

Money shot #2. Sparkle Sparkle.

Thanks ladies! I can always count on you for a good time. See you Friday for the real thing!

Hard to believe no alcoholic beverages were consumed in the production of these photos

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Summer dinner...

Although Summer still hasn't really arrived here in Seattle, it has warmed up a little bit. Now I can leave my parka in the house when I bbq. Last night we pretended it was Summer and cooked dinner accordingly. Bryan (whodoesn'treallybbq) bbq'd a flank steak and it was seriously perfect. It had a great salt and pepper crust. I was pretty impressed.

I bought a bunch of honey mangos from Costco this weekend and wasn't sure what to do with them. We also seemed to have an abundance of cucumbers so I thought I would make a salad. It turned out pretty tasty. If you're looking for a refreshing salad, try this out:

Cucumber Mango Salad

3 medium cucumbers, sliced and halved
3 honey mangos, peeled and cubed
1 red bell pepper, sliced or cubed
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
a pinch of salt
2 tsp chili powder, more to taste

Where are you Summer?

Monday, June 28, 2010

A big week for Twihards...ahem me

Eclipse comes out on Wednesday! Anyone going to the midnight showing? Not me. I'm officially old. In fact this weekend my girlfriends and I passed up a big Twilight Saga event. Well big for Seattle anyway. Fremont Outdoor Cinema kicked off their season with New Moon and guest appearances by Nikki Reed and Elizabeth Reaser. We were all scheduled to go and bailed at the last minute. I know, I know.

Earlier in the day had to take a Benadryl in order to plant my pots for the patio. Things started out great, but towards the end I became like a drunk zombie with potting soil. It wasn't pretty. A 3 hour nap later and an easy out from my friends (didn't want to stand in line, or listen to screaming teens), Bryan and I had hit the salad bar at Whole Foods and hunkered down to watch Adventureland. Now Bryan thinks Kristen Stewart is hot and is considering watching Twilight. My world is crumbling around me.

To make up for the photos I didn't get, I thought I would share a few photos my friend Vanessa brought back for me from her trip to Montepulciano. Apparently the vendors are making money off the photos they took when they filmed New Moon there.

See, his nipple is just fine. And those aren't moles, they're sparkle markers ;)

St. Marcus Day...those were some lucky extras!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Flashback Friday: Imagination

That over active imagination I mentioned yesterday... What?! You didn't read every line of that post? Oh well, I have one. I think I found the root.

Yep, my parents. I blame them for everything.

Can you tell what we're doing? No? Well then you have no imagination.

Check out my Mom's awesome owl stand in the background.

Those things are going for big money these days.

You can win one from Burke Designs over at Little Green Notebook.

Mom do you still have yours? Can I have it?

Thursday, June 24, 2010

TJ's and Giveaways

Get your mind out of the gutter....

I'm doing a little blog house cleaning today. I'm way behind since I've been rambling about under bites and Sookie Stackhouse and have let some important things slide.

First off...do you know LiLu? If you don't think I am random enough go check her out. She is up for a job as an MTV Twitter Jockey and needs your vote! We've never met, but if she gets this she would be the first famous person I know. Or kinda know in an odd internet relationship way. If that's not enough to get you there. She has cats...and she dresses them up!

Larger than life she is! Check her out HERE!

Second... Mandy Chiappini Photography is doing another mini session giveaway! As usual I don't want you to go there and enter because I want to win. I won the last one you know. I didn't tell you because what I'm doing is a surprise. And you'll probably think I'm crazy...if you don't already. Go enter yourself and spread the word!

Third...I got some awards! I'm really bad at accepting these. It's not that I don't like talking about myself...duh. I'm just lazy and sometimes things I post are time sensitive (in my head) so I just never get to them. But I do love when people post and link to others because then I can find awesome new blogs. Not that I really need anymore in my reader. Not only do I have a massive list in my Google reader, I have a Bloglines account too. I think I have a problem. So without further ado...awards I probably don't deserve, and more stuff to scare you away.

The Versatile Blogger Award was given to me by Krysten of After I Do! I think when she says versatile she really means "get your blog under control" and stick to a topic. I know...I have no direction. I'm working on that. Thanks for thinking of me Krysten! Check out her blog for my favorite "Where I live Wednesday". Makes me want to go on vacation.

The rules for this one are to list 7 things about myself and then give it away to 5 others (I changed to 5 from 15...sue me). So here it goes!

1. I haven't had McDonalds in 4 years...not even one itty bitty french fry.
2. I have an excellent singing voice. But only when I sing in my car. Alone.
3. I'm ready to retire.
4. I regret not studying abroad in College. If you are in school and have the opportunity. DO IT!

5. I thought I might live in Vermont one day and make maple syrup. I don't know now...
6. Instead I'm thinking of moving to Portland, Oregon.

7. My nickname is two drink Tina.

Tag 5 versatile bloggers? Okay here we go.

Gringation's Blog- she is so lucky to live in Cancun and she's getting married!
Mandy of The Chiappini Family- I know, it sounds like a mafia family name but it is not.
Chelsea of In a Yellow House- Yep we just keep passing them back and forth ;) It's all about who you know right?
Vanessa of This & That- She is seriously inspiring me with her household projects. I need to get moving with my pile of projects.
Carissa of Carissa Jaded- She's a cynic...just like me ;)

The Beautiful Blogger Award was given to me by Mandy of Mandy Chiappini Photography and the Chiappini Family. You should go check out her photographs and her cute little baby boy Bennett. Enter her giveaway while you're at it. Assuming you live in the Seattle area of course. Thanks Mandy for thinking I'm beautiful...even when I post photos of myself without makeup ;)

I'm supposed to list 10 random things about me...cause you want to hear more awkwardness right?

1. My gossip site of choice is Lainey Gossip. Even if she thinks Robert Pattinson has mothering hips.

2. I have never watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy (that one was for you Mandy ;).

3. When I hear a good song, I make up a dance to it in my head. Yet I hate choreographing dances.

4. I complain about my dogs in my bed all the time. But I secretly love having them there. Even if they're giving me spider veins.

5. I want to learn the tango and then go to Spain and dance it.

6. I have an uncharacteristicly small head and hands.

7. I have an over active imagination. I could be schizophrenic.

8. If I had to choose a food to eat all day long, it might be s'mores with Nutella.

9. Christmas is my favorite holiday...EVER.

10. I seriously rocked the game Pretty Pretty Princess when I was younger. I always won.

Tag 5 beautiful bloggers? Not hard.

McKenna of Make Memoirs- Her photography and posts make me want to move overseas!
Krysten of After I do!- Because I think she is fabulous and deserving!
Becky of I'll Go Eat Worms- She does an awesome Flashback Friday too and blonde baby Becky is freakin' adorable.
Diana of Oh for Joy!- Love looking at pictures of her sweet little granddaughter and drooling over her scrapbook pages. Why can't I do that?
Kendi of Kendi Everyday- She makes me feel pretty. Well if I actually dressed like that of course.

My Sister-in-law from In a Yellow House gave me this Oustanding Blogger Award. Because I am near and dear to her heart. No she really said that...SEE? Okay maybe not the heart part. Check her out, she's been baking up a storm and not even dropping any of it by my house! How shall we remedy that? Thanks for the award Chelsea!

Here's how a player accepts this award:

1. Say thanks to the person who gave me this award. (mmmhmmm I did)
2. Share 7 things about myself

3. Pass the award along to other bloggers who I have recently discovered and think are great!

7 things...

1..I'm at a loss of celebrity men to love right now. I hope my RPattz love will be renewed come June 30th.
2. I need a zoom lens for my camera. Soon.
3. My dog Charlie goes crazy for the laser...or any light for that matter. It's starting to make me neurotic too.
4. The only vegetable I don't like is endives.
5. I really want to have a rooftop dinner in the city someday.

6. I'm obsessed with bidets and will have one in our next house.

7. If there is a job where you hang out at coffee shops and people watch...I want it.

Passing on to some new to me bloggers...

Jaime of La vie...J'aime- She's helping me buff up on my fashion, art and general culture.
Cara of Lilac and Grey- Lots of inspiring photographs to keep me going through the day.
LiLu of Live it LOVE it- Not new to me, but outstanding all the same. No seriously I have to take break to breath after I read some of her stuff.
Krystal of Sunday Photo- She's learning with her camera, just like me. Picking up some great tips here. Plus she lives in Switzerland. You know how I love the Suisse!

Thanks ladies for the great awards! And thank you to everyone for reading my strange insight on life. It makes me happy ;)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

How to buy a car when your wife is crazy

We're thinking of getting a new car. It's a tough decision as I seem to have a large criteria of must haves. You know the normal not too big, but not too small, good gas mileage, room for the dogs in the back so they can't bark in your ear or jump into the front seat. Seems easy enough but I'm really picky. You see, I don't like change. It takes me forever to get used to something and for the past 4 years all I wanted was a Volvo XC90. Even before Edward. But Bryan said no. They were too expensive to fix, plus I hate filling up with premium gas.

We test drove a few earlier this year and narrowed it down to two. The RAV4 Sport (minus the rear tire) and the 4Runner. Bryan is pushing hard for the 4Runner, but there are a few things I can't get out of my head. The 4Runner clearly has an under bite. Yep it does.

So Bryan says, "why don't we put a brushguard on it? "

"Nope, then it looks like it is wearing head gear"

And don't even get me started on the new hood scoop.
It looks like Beevus' nostrils.

He thinks I'm weird.

So I say "how about the Mazda CX-9?"

And he says, "No, it looks like its smiling"

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Cannon Beach, Oregon 2010

This weekend we took a few days off and headed down to Cannon Beach with my family. We lucked out with the weather, and the crowds since it was the Sandcastle Contest weekend. Here's the LONG recap, I even cut down the photos twice!

Day 1: