Crafty Wednesdays

Styrofoam Crafts

Have ever seen such cute and simple, pocket-friendly ideas?!  I'm loving these craft ideas and I do see my house decorated in some of these in the near future.



Beach




Collage

 

Monogram



Friends



Balerina



Love



Mischievous Kid

I might not be the best person to watch kids...

Sunday Funday

I went to a benefit this weekend for a friend of mine who injured his spinal cord and is now a quadriplegic.  So sad really. It was a freak accident too.  The story:


Emmett's Story

Quoted from his beautiful, strong wife:

Emmett was at his friend's house in Fort Worth,  TX where they were swimming and having a guys weekend. Emmett had less than 5 beers the entire night, at 3am Emmett and his friend went swimming and Emmett dove into the 8ft deep end of the pool and by some freak accident he hit the bottom of the pool flat on the top of his head. His friend had to pull him out of the pool; Emmett did kick his legs trying to get out. They thought he just had a busted head but a few minutes later he couldn't feel his legs so they called 911, and about 2 hrs later the test showed he had a broken neck. He went into emergency surgery to relieve the pressure it.  The surgery lasted about 6hrs. The doctor was able to fix the broken bone but the fluid sack that holds his spinal fluid was busted and they couldn't repair it at that time. They put a spinal drain to help heal it that way. After the pressure was reduced he can move his arms but does not have full mobility in them. Nothing lower as of now. He can not speak because he has a breathing tube helping him breath right now. He responds to us and is aware of what is going on.

The benefit went really well.  They sold shirts with a picture (that Emmett picked up personally) and sold bbq and had  a raffle.  I don't know the total they raised, as I'm sure I'll probably never know, but it was a good benefit.  A lot of people turned out.

After that a few of us went over to a friend's house to hang out, listen to some music, a couple very intelligent talented friends played their guitars and sang, we jumped on the trampoline, wrestled a little, and just hung out- in a garage where it's about 105 degrees out mind you- and had a great time. 

Dispatches from the Edge- Book Club

My first time doing a book club. I've needed an excuse to read, and this seems like a good one. I tend to ramble on too much too, as you will notice reading this. I decided my first book to read would be Anderson Cooper's biography (and it has nothing to do with my secret crush on the man thats older than my dad)

Anderson Cooper struggles with excelling in life, and accepting tragedy for what it is, and learns to overcome so much more in the midst of it all. He writes about some of the world’s troubles that he has witnessed first hand. He also reflects back on his childhood with his family. He recounts 4 major events in his life that affected so many people, but within those events he digs deeper into other events in comparison to the moment he's in currently. He gives the reader a vivid clear image of the disaster at hand, as if you are there yourself. This is a very good book and I do recommend it to anyone who wants a fresh perspective of the world’s tragedies.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Sometimes I wonder if I’m the person I was born to be, if the life I’ve lived really is the one I was meant to. 

“Whatever the faith, whatever the culture, the color, we are all human in the end. “

“Everyone has a different war”

“It always seems calm until the first bullet flies by”

“There’s time it seems to get better, and then it just falls apart again.”

“The aftermath of a storm is much more difficult than standing in the storm itself, no matter how hard the wind blows.”

“I am powerless in the face of the storm.”

“When asked why someone cries a lot : His bladder ‘s just located too close to his eyes.”

“It’s impossible to maintain, impossible to sustain. You can’t stay like this forever. Blissed out, bugged out, high, but not stoned. I’m in the moment. This second. Nowhere else. The work is done. “

Traveling Thursday

In honor of this miracle that is happening today around the south (Called RAIN) I am going to post some beaches around the world I wouldn't mind relaxing in front of:



Las Olas Beach Resort, Chiriquí, Panama

Las Olas Beach Resort

Chiriquí, Panama

A 50-minute plane ride west of Panama City, Las Olas Beach Resort has 14 miles of volcanic-sand beaches and a mangrove forest. With paintings by local artists and cream tiled floors, all 48 rooms face the Pacific. Board the resort’s 34-footer for some of the world’s best sportfishing, or head to top breaks with the in-house surf pro.

Cost: $78

Don’t Miss: Nearby Coiba National Park’s 355-acre reef.



Les 3 Chameaux, Mirleft, Morocco

Les 3 Chameaux

Mirleft, Morocco

The village of Mirleft, on the southern Atlantic coast, has one of Morocco’s most dramatic beaches. Between the pounding surf you’ll find Les 3 Chameaux, a rustic-chic maison d’hôte with Berber furniture and carpets.

Cost: $112

Don’t Miss: An exfoliating black-soap body treatment in the hammam.



Present Moment Retreat, Troncones, Mexico

Present Moment Retreat

Troncones, Mexico

A still-authentic beach town on Mexico’s Pacific coast is hard to come by. At this Zen-inspired retreat, 10 thatched-roof bungalows, each with a white canopy bed, private wooden deck, and meditation garden, surround a pool that overlooks the beach. Wellness is the focus here, from the health-conscious menu and Ashtanga yoga classes to beachside massages and even life-coaching sessions.

Cost: $230

Don’t Miss: A surfing lesson on Saladita Beach, a nearby surfer’s paradise.

Golden Palm Tree Sea Villas & Spa, Sepang, Malaysia

Golden Palm Tree Sea Villas & Spa

Sepang, Malaysia

A 90-minute drive south of Kuala Lumpur, the just-opened Golden Palm Tree Sea Villas & Spa pays homage to its name: 392 villas are raised on stilts in eight palm-frond-like rows that stretch out into the Straits of Malacca. The hotel offers a range of activities (morning walks; kayaking trips), but you’ll be just as content by the infinity pool.

Cost: $215

Don’t Miss: A traditional acupressure-focused Malay massage at the hotel’s spa.

Anemomilos Apartments, Cyclades, Greece

Anemomilos Apartments

Cyclades, Greece

Perched atop the cliffs of Folegandros island, you’ll find the family-run Anemomilos Apartments. Whitewashed walls, private patios, and vistas of the Aegean more than make up for the sparsely decorated rooms. The real draw, however, is the lovely stone-terraced pool and pergola lounge.

Cost: $232

Don’t Miss: A short boat trip from Karavostasis harbor to remote, quiet Katergo Beach.



Les Caranques, Collioure, France

Les Caranques

Collioure, France

Artists, including Matisse, have long flocked to the colorful fishing port of Collioure for its scenic vistas. And the views are just as enticing as ever, especially from the patio at this hotel, built into a dramatic cliff overlooking the Mediterranean. The 22 light-filled rooms are simply (and patriotically) decorated with white wooden furniture and blue and red accents. Unwind on a rattan chaise longue on one of the small terraces carved out of rock, with winding stairs that lead to small white sand beaches.

Cost: $175

Don’t Miss: A stroll along the town’s Fauvism walking trail to see 20 reproductions of vibrant paintings by Matisse and Derain in the spots where they were first created.



Cooper Island Beach Club, British Virgin Islands

Cooper Island Beach Club

British Virgin Islands

You won’t find shops, nightclubs, casinos, or even televisions in the rooms at this resort located on Manchioneel Bay on the northwest side of 480-acre Cooper Island. A casual beachside restaurant and bright but simple rooms with kitchenettes, radios, ceiling fans, and private baths with outdoor showers are about all there is here—but that’s enough. Don’t expect much more than palm trees, a sandy beach, clear water, and potent rum drinks.

Cost: $250

Don’t Miss: Many guests say the restaurant is their main reason for coming back—try the local specialty of conch fritters served with a spicy dip.



Anacaona Boutique Hotel, Meads Bay, Anguilla

Anacaona Boutique Hotel

Meads Bay, Anguilla

On an island where $1,000-a-night rates barely raise an eyebrow, the recently reopened Anacaona Boutique Hotel manages to feel like a splurge. There’s Frette linens and free Wi-Fi in the 27 tropical-chic rooms, two pools—and even waiter service on the beach.

Cost: $250

Don’t Miss: Thursday nights at the hotel’s Fire Fly Restaurant & Bar, when a local troupe performs Afro-Caribbean dances



Sheraton Nha Trang, Nha Trang, Vietnam

Sheraton Nha Trang

Nha Trang, Vietnam

At first glance, the 284-room Sheraton Nha Trang could be an upscale hotel anywhere in the world. But a closer look reveals local art at every turn and views of island-studded Nha Trang Bay. The hotel’s restaurants cook up a range of cuisines (from street food to European pastries), and you can have snacks delivered to your lounge chair on the palm-dotted, sugar-sand beach.

Cost: $180

Don’t Miss: An on-site cooking class, where you’ll learn how to make beef pho and shrimp rolls.



Shelley Beach, Manly, Sydney, Australia

And finally, this is a beach that I visited last fall (their spring time) and this is the photo that I captured after scuba diving in the beach. I recommend this if you can make it, but the cost, it's pretty high. 

All info. is curtosy of Yahoo!

Tuesday's Desserts

Fat Kid Tuesday. these are my favorites right now. Check out some great delicious food. hope you aren't on a diet for this one! :)


http://www.the-girl-who-eats-everything.com/

S'mores Cookies
Source: Ice Cream Before Dinner

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
3 regular sized Hershey’s bars, broken into pieces
1-2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment paper. I used one 11x17 pan and one 9x13 pan but you can really use any sized pans you want.


Lay out graham crackers side by side on the pans as close as possible (they should be touching). I used 16 graham cracker squares on one pan and 10 squares on another. You may have to add or remove graham crackers according to how much dough you have. If you want your cookies thicker you will use more dough and less graham crackers.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon to combine. Set aside.


In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with white and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.


Add the flour mixture to the butter mixer and combine on low speed.


Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight (I did one batch right away and another after chilling overnight and found there was no difference.)


Place tablespoons of dough on graham crackers about 1 – 1 ½ inches apart. I averaged about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per graham cracker square as seen in the picture above. Press down slightly with fingertips.


Bake for 5 minutes then remove from oven to press Hershey’s bar pieces on to the top. You can place as many pieces or as little as you want depending how much chocolate flavor you want.


Bake for 5 – 7 more minutes or until dough is beginning to turn golden brown at the edges. Remove to a wire rack to cool. For clean cutting make sure cookies are completely cool and cut with a sharp knife.



http://www.kevinandamanda.com/



Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie with Oreos
Source:Kevin and Amanda

basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (using a little less flour than you normally would)
double stuffed Oreos
brownie mix
9×13 pan

Line a 9×13 baking dish with wax paper and spray with cooking spray

Whip up your cookie dough and spread it in the bottom of the pan.
Cover with Oreos…

And pour on plenty of fudgy brownie batter.

Pop this into a 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes

this is just for you to make your mouth water...

http://stumbleupon.com/