Penne Rosa

I haven't done this in far too long.  I'm going to try to start again so I can keep track of the recipes I make.  Plus, it is way fun baking and cooking in the fall/winter!  I'm so ready for fall, this heat is killing me.  Yuck.  I love pumpkins and apple picking.  Halloween.  My birthday.  Jake's birthday.  Thanksgiving.  Christimas.  Decorating for holidays.  Baking cookies.  Dressing cozy.  Scarves.  It is simply the best time of year! 

I want to learn how to cake decorate.  I also want to get into photography.  I am so busy though with work and school.  It is so hard to do it all.  I have to make school a number one priority right now.  I'm going to try to get a start though.  I have thought about taking a cake decorating class at Michael's.  

So I adore Noodles & Company...it is one of my all time favorite places to eat.  Specifically, the Penne Rosa!  YUM.  I love the Bangkok Curry too...so I'll be trying to make homemade curry sometime soon.  Jake and I are trying to only go out to eat once a week.  We always save so much money when we don't eat out.  This recipe was super easy to make.  Plus, I like how I have left-over spinach leaves now to make a dish tonight.  Also, I was excited this was my first time cooking with wine!  Something about cooking with wine make me feel like a professional cook. I'm really trying to get away from the same dishes.  If I have a kid ever, I need to know more recipes! 

So the recipe I used: 

1 box Penne Pasta

1 tspb white cooking wine

2 tbsp EVOO

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional , but part of what I love of this dish is the spicy kick.  Plus, I've read spicy foods boost your metabolism :]   )

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (I used way more)

1/4 cup baby spinach

1 14oz can italian-style diced tomatoes

Garnish with fresh feta or parmesan cheese

1.) Boil pasta and set aside.

2.)Heat wine,oil, spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, crushed pepper, and tomatoes over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes.  

3.) Add pasta, mix well.  Add cream and stir.  Add spinach and stir until wilted.  

A lot of people add meat as well, such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or whatever you'd like.  Make sure you cook it first though.  

Here is the final product! 

It was delish.  Next time I will make more sauce, just because I love sauce!  I think a person who likes a normal amount of sauce would like this though.  

Pearl Bracelets!

What an exciting week I have planned!

I'm getting back on the wagon again!  By back on the wagon, I mean I am changing lifestyle choices.  By life style choices, I mean I am going to get back into shape.  I'm going to start eating right again.  I was doing SO well for a while there, and then life happened.  I haven't been dedicated to the gym since.  I don't just want to be skinny...I'm already skinny.  I want to have ABS!

Every year I claim I'm going to have abs.  This year is different...I can feel it!  I have Jake to come with me.  May I take a moment and applaud my husbands new muscular arms...yes I can, because it is my blog...and if you don't like it, then tough!  I really enjoy this new job of his where he lifts every day.  I've noticed they are bigger (I am an arms girl), but he flexed for me the other day...and HOLY SMOKES!  There is a giant lump where the bicep is...a GOOD lump. Holy smokes!  I'm so excited about these lumps.  Anyways, Jake is wanting to lift more too...so we are going to be accountability partners.  That is why it is going to be different this time.  We are going to push each other...no slacking!  Today I had mostly fruits and veggies to eat.

I have a confession..I broke down and went tanning today.  I couldn't help it!  It makes me feel good...and the gloomy, cold weather makes me depressed sometimes.  Also, I have been noticing horrendous dark circles under my eyes lately because the color in my skin seems to be gone.

So!  A complete stranger liked one of my makeup Pins on Pinterest the other day.  That was cool and made me excited!

Anyways...I am excited for this weeks festivities...

I get my bonus Wednesday.

Thursday, I have the YPGP social.  I am excited for this because we get to go through the Peoria Riverfront Museum for free.  I have been wanting to go, but I felt it was more money than I was willing to spend.  It should be a fun one.

Friday--I was invited to a Bradley University MBA program dinner.  So I will be having free dinner and a fancy schmancy restaurant in The Heights.  Also, the favorite band is back at Crusen's.  I will be seeing them and loving it.

Saturday, off to Chicago we go!  Jake, brother Nick, some friends and I are traveling 2 hours north to the Chicago auto show.  I'm quite excited!  I've never been...but I heard it is a blast.

Sunday is my best friend Ashley's open house.  Her and her boyfriend Zach recently purchased a home.  That should be fun.

So...I tried making my own bracelets.  I must say they came out quite well.  What I used:

Jewelery wire, white pearls, and ribbon!

ahh!!

I can't wait to tan myself with black tea bags!  I'm going to try it tomorrow night.  I have to go to the store anyways and get ingredients to make pasta salad for work.  I'm going to make it Mexican inspired!!  Taco seasoning, ground beef...the whole sha-bang!

I just can't bring myself to using a tanning bed all of the time.  It is great and relaxing sometimes, but I really want to have nice skin when I'm 40.  I don't want to be captain leather bags.  I know it is insanely unhealthy. I'm really hoping this tea bag thing is as great as it claims!

I'm so ready for this weekend. We have been insanely busy this week getting our home ready for our first open house on Sunday!  OF COURSE, there is a snow storm scheduled that day! Just my luck..but hey, maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. :]  My brother-in-law texted me about this weekend and told me I better suit up, because it is going to be legendary!  So I am literally going to "suit up" (the best I can) and wear my blazer...Barney wouldn't have it any other way.  

Oh how I love that show :) One of my favorite cover bands is playing in town, and I need to go get my hockey fix.  

Today, pale ghost.  Tomorrow, bronze goddess.  Fingers crossed!  

Also, should I dye my hair a light blonde, a light brown, or a dark brown with light brown highlights??  So many choices...and I can't decide!  

Well, off to bed. 

Until next time... 

Eyeliner...nails...lip gloss...oh my!

What a great weekend!  I spent the weekend being out in the community.

Charity event Friday night for the United Way.  It was a masquerade theme.  I found a gorgeous red dress from JC Penney's on clearance for $20!  SCORE!  

Saturday I got to dress up yet again for a chamber of commerce annual dinner.  I love volunteering and doing things within the community.  We haven't been out in over a month, so it was nice to get a night out with Jake!  We went to Martini's with everyone afterwards.  Martini's is officially my favorite bar in downtown Peoria.

Anyways, I went and got Jake a light pink tie so we would match!

Sunday we went and looked at open houses.  No one has put in any offers on our house yet, which is discouraging, but I guess it hasn't been on the market that long. I shouldn't be stressing out yet.  Although, the  dream house had an offer put in on it today.  How DEPRESSING.  I know I shouldn't get emotionally invested into a house until I know we have it, but it is hard when you walk in and love it.  I guess it just wasn't meant to be and something else will come along.

Today I worked on school work and had beauty testing day!  I experimented with different ways to wear eyeliner and took pictures so I could decide what I like best. No eyeliner on the left, tightlining, and then obviously on the top lid.  Surprisingly, I like the no liner look more than I thought I would.  Plus, I love my new Benefit liquid foundation.  I like it even better than Bare Minerals...I didn't think that was possible.  Tightlining always tickles my eye...but pretty cool.  I should have combed my lashes first.

Next, Essie Nail Appliques!  Love them.  Super easy to do, even someone nail art challenged like me could handle them. Check out my lacy nails!

Essie Nail Appliques

Finally, after pining Revlon Pink Petal nude lip gloss on Pinterest, and almost immediately getting 46 repins, I decided it was worth the chance.  It claimed to be the "perfect nude lipgloss," and for $7 bucks I thought it was worth the try.  I have been wanting a new nude gloss anyways. I am very happy with my purchase.

Revlon Pink Petal Lip-gloss

wow!

Wow!  Have I been slacking on this.

What is new with me?  Well I have 3 weeks of school left.  Jake and I got our pictures professionally taken.  I am decorated for Christmas.  Todd is our Christmas card this year! I'm not going to drink alcohol for one month.  I'm training to run a 5K.  

First, we have always wanted to get our pictures done.  The only pictures we have are the ones from our wedding day.  I was completely fine all day that day until it was almost time to walk down the aisle.  I've started crying before it was time for me to walk!  I told myself to pull it together...this is my wedding day!  They were happy tears of course...but not good for pictures!  I cried during the ceremony...most of our bridal party cried. It was emotional...yet only 10 minutes!  Short and sweet...we wanted to get to the reception to party!  It's so hard to believe we've been together for almost 5 years!

Anyways...onto our recent pictures.  We wanted some pictures of us not in our wedding attire while we were still young.  I haven't received the CD yet, but what I have seen, I love!  Megan did an AWESOME job!

I thought it would be cute to use our dog, Todd, on our Christmas card. Everyone uses their kids...and my dog is my kid! These are the fun pics from that night:

This is the one we ended up going with:

Also, I am doing a 12 week program to train to do a 5K.  This week I am walking fast for 4 minutes, then slow for 1.  20 minutes total.  It is very easy for me to do...but I'm wanting to stick to the program.  I'm not drinking alcohol for a month.  I'm interested to see how much weight I lose.  I have lost 5 lbs already just by eating healthy for lunch.  Plus, it's not good to drink it on a regular basis.  I'm so excited!

I've been in a country music mood...weird!

Perfecto

I think there is something wrong with my lips...like possibly some sort of vitamin deficiency   I constantly put expensive chap stick on them and yet for some reason they still feel dry.  This has never been a problem before but it just seems like the past couple of months it has been driving me insane.

My best friend is officially a homeowner.  I went and looked at her house tonight and I love it.  It's move in ready which is always a plus.  I think it is a perfect size for the two of them.

My dream house would be a Victorian one.   I LOVE the white wrap around porch.  It would probably need a lot of work, but I think it would be worth it. I also like nautical looking houses. Maybe I belong on the East Coast?  I'm not sure where I belong, but I do know it isn't here.  I've been trying to give this area the benefit of the doubt lately, but it's hard to do.

I bought these super cute brown leather boots from Plato's Closet today for $18.  I needed some because we are getting professional pictures taken in a couple of weeks from one of my friends.  Jake really wanted good pictures of us while we are young.  I am trying to lose weight, so pizza for dinner probably wasn't the best choice.  A good friend of ours was having a fundraiser though so we went to support his cause.

SO I have been taking Biotin for almost a week now, and dare I say I can already tell a difference in my skin?  Not to sound conceited,  but I already had nice skin since I take very good care of it...so I wasn't sure if I would be able to tell the difference.  Makeup and skin care products are one thing I am not afraid to splurge on.  I know some may disagree, but I can tell a 100% difference between department store makeup from Sephora and Ulta and the drugstore brands...and my skin can too.  My skin looks even better now.  I'm thoroughly pleased.  It's still too early to tell if it's helping my hair grow faster.

Curled it with the straightener today!  All I can say is practice, practice, practice...and I am mastering this technique.  Today was the best it's ever looked.  It also only took me ten minutes.

I found this cool website where you can make photo collages^.  It is notated in the corner.

SO I went to the DMV today to renew my sticker for my car... PROCRASTINATORS UNITED.  Folks, believe it or not, the end of the month is not the best time to go to the DMV!  I didn't  even think about it until I went in and there was 35 people in front of me (I counted).  Not only did I go at the end of the month, but also on a Tuesday (when they are closed on Mondays), and also around lunch time.  It was horrendous. Thank goodness I only have to do that once a year!  I like to think maybe I have learned my lesson and go earlier next time, but I know in the depths of my soul that I will probably wait until the last minute again.  I mean, who likes spending money?  I like waiting as long as possible before I have to buy a super expensive sticker.

Tomorrow is Halloween and I have work and class.  Halloween Schmaloween...I'm ready for Christmas!

On an ending note...I want Einstein the horse so bad.

I also love my owl friends!

Enchiladas

Sally O'Malley.  I'm 50! 

Halloween party was a success!  Heather did a fantastic job hosting.  Her It's Pat costume was spot on.  I didn't even recognize her when I walked in the door.

I made enchiladas tonight...also Heather's recipe...not mine!   Enchiladas with spanish rice to be exact.  This is the second time I've made these.  Even better than the first time.  They're simply the best.  Jake loves them.  I'm glad I tend to be a good cook usually.  

Can we take a moment to applaud the rotisserie chicken?  DELISH!  Simple...cheap...it can't get any better than the rotisserie chicken. 

Unfortunately...picture is blurry   However, 2 cans of Cream of Chicken, 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom, a regular size container of sour cream, flour tortillas, mexican styled cheese, and of course....the infamous rotisserie chicken!  

Mix the soups and sour cream together.  Then spread bottom layer in a rectangle dish of your choice.  Put some more of the sauce inside the tortillas.  Add chicken and cheese, roll and set into the dish.

Add some more sauce on the top, cover with the rest of the cheese.  I baked mine at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  The nice thing about this is you can actually cut it into squares and serve it as a casserole.     

I've been listening to Radiohead tonight.  I'm nice and mellowed out now.  Ha!  I've had a long day.  I woke up around 7 and took 3 Ibuprofen for my pounding headache.  I woke up again around 9:30 and finally managed to roll out of bed around 10:45. I never get lazy mornings anymore...it was nice being teenagerish again for a day. Jake took me to the mall so I could smell a whole bunch of perfumes.  I told him all I really wanted for Christmas was a nice perfume since I haven't gotten a new one in a long time.  I came to the conclusion that the original Poppy by Coach is my favorite...imagine that!  I tried them all and it was the best.  I can't wait until Christmas...have I mentioned that yet?

OH, and we went to Best Buy...and I found the perfect laptop!  I am a huge Samsung fan-girl..and they have outdone themselves.  I feel like I need the Ultrabook touchscreen.  It depresses me I don't have the money right now.   I would love to go to Best Buy and play with it every day.  Cheerio!!

I can't wait to have this.

Lift your head princess, if not the crown falls.

I don't remember what exactly brought it up, but I was discussing my car accident with Jake today.  Oh yes, we were talking about how low our chances of survival would be if we wrecked the Solstice.  Anyways, my accident really is a part of who I am.  This may seem sort of depressing or morbid but since it is a part of who I am,  I really wanted to write about it.

Buying impractical sports cars is in my genetics.  I have a convertible, my mom is currently sporting a 2011 lime green Chevy Camaro, my uncle has a Crossfire.  Before the Camaro, my parents had a Mustang GT, Corvette, and Saturn Sky...all within the past 5 years.  It is a hobby to sell and buy new sports cars.  

The late winter of 1993 was no different.  My mom was sporting this number:   (My mom, like me, enjoys girly colored cars). 

A couple days before my accident, my dad wrecked this car.  It was a minor accident, no one was hurt.  The car had to get taken to the shop for a few days to get fixed.  For this reason, my mom and I just happened to be driving my grandpas big, steel boat car, and it probably saved our lives.  If we would have been in the camaro we would probably be dead today.  If my dad didn't have a fender bender, I probably wouldn't have survived.  Everything happens for a reason.  

I will never forget that day.  I remember the conversation we were having before it happened to a T.  It's weird the stuff that sticks with you.  I could go through the entire story, but I'm a private person so I don't share it with everyone.  I did have plastic surgery on my head twice however to make my scar less noticeable.  

Shortly Afterwards

After 1st Surgery

After 2nd Surgery

ta da!  Barely noticeable today.  Normally it takes people knowing me a few months before they notice it, or at least work up the courage to ask about it.  I'm not afraid to talk about it if people would just ask.  

Anyways, onto more joyful things!  I've been working on the teller line a lot since I am training one of the new tellers.  I have lost 6 pounds within the last two weeks!  All I have done is totally cut out drinking soda and stopped eating out for lunch.  Plus I've been standing at work instead of sitting all day.  

Yesterday was great because I quoted The Big Lebowski and Twister all day with my male coworker friend.  Today was great because I talked Christmas and now I'm SUPER excited about it.  I love Christmas!  Halloween is cool too...but I'm definitely ready for the Christmas season.  Jake made us hot chocolate tonight and we are watching Home Alone...haha.  We went to Menards!  I love Menards around Christmas time.  I want to do white lights this year instead of colored.  I can't wait to have a kid someday and take it on the Polar Express ride.

My best friend Ashley is moving into her house soon!  It's hard to believe.  I'm off Tuesday next week and I'm going to go over there.  

I randomly decided to paint the knife block the other day and put some birds on it.  I still need to sand it down, but this is the start: 

Pumpkin time/Birthday trip

Oh where to begin!

I had my 24 birthday.  I feel rather lost...I know I sound ridiculous.  I really had a plan to have my first kid when I was 24 and I'm somehow not ready AT ALL.  I don't feel like I will be ready for a few years at least!  It is just weird to finally be at an age where I am actually old enough to start a family without people wondering why I started so young.  I know if I did have a kid, it would be my entire life.  The two things I know are:

1. I want to travel
2. I want to be a great mom

I feel like in my core it is my purpose.  That sounds cheesy and somewhat weird, but I really can't wait to be a mom someday.  It is troubling to me as to why I'm not ready.  This was the plan!  I want to be a younger mom where I have energy to play I've been married 3 years...that is enough time to have "our fun."  I don't know if it is fear, or uncertainty of the future.  I know a lot of people don't feel "ready" and it's something you just have to do.  I know if I did get pregnant I would love my child more than the world and my entire life would change for the better.  Just something doesn't feel right right now.  There is just something so wonderful about loving another person more than anyone else in the world and putting their needs above yours.  I'm want to be a HUGE part of my kids lives.  I want to be there for their sports games, and be a part of the organizations they are a part of.  I want to be able to do special things like the Polar Express, Disney World, etc.  I don't know what I can't put my finger on...because I KNOW I want this more than anything in the world.  Something just isn't right yet.


This weekend was a lot of fun.  We went down to St. Louis Friday night. Saturday we went to Dave and Busters and the Landing.  Dave and Busters is a blast!  I wish we had one around here...Jillians just isn't the same.  We played this sweet ginormous connect 4 game.

Okay...okay...onto the exciting part...pumpkin carving today.  My porch is finally fallish looking!

Black Cat!

I found this idea on Pinterest.  You just paint a piece of wood and then modge podge a picture over the top once the paint dries.  I used a picture I had a million of...but Ashley and I had our pictures professionally taken so I'm going to do some cooler ones with that. Very cool idea

Is this real love, or madness?

I have the prettiest mom!  I found this picture today from when she got married to my wonderful stepdad 7 years ago! That is my grandma.  We were incredibly close, but she lost her battle to cancer close to 6 years ago.  She taught me how to play poker when I was 5 years old and we use to gamble off pennies.  I also use to go to the UAW hall with her (she was a CAT employee) and I would play poker with all of her union buddies. I was a good little democrat haha.  I use to stand on the table and yell something about "scabs" giving them their jobs back, and then I got a half dollar from an elderly guy. I miss her every day.  My uncle John is also in the picture.  He walked my mom down the aisle that day.

I made breaded parmesan pork chops for dinner...it was delish.  Then I went for a mile run and I could possibly die now.  I'm so mad I let myself get out of shape...but I want to get back on track.  Todd went on the run too...he is also out of shape.  Poor pup!

I went out with some girls last night.

I turn 24 in 5 days!  I'm officially going to St. Louis for the weekend.  I was unable to get a hotel downtown since I booked last minute, but it's not a huge deal because we got one about 20 mins outside of town.  We are staying 2 nights, but since our friends Anthony and Kirsten are joining we only had to pay for 1 night.   It is conveniently close to Harrahs (our favorite casino down there) and Dave and Busters.  So I know we are probably going to Harrahs at some point, definitely the Landing Saturday night, hopefully Grants Farm and some breweries.  Hopefully I don't have to deal with too much annoying Cardinals talk.  I can't believe I'm not going to a Blues game!   It's a bummer because my sister, Marla, is going to be in town this weekend. I didn't know until I already had planned everything out.  She lives in Asheville NC...one of my FAVORITE places I've ever been.  Plenty to do outdoors, not too far from the ocean, a big dog community...great weather,..it's perfect!  There are a ton of cute shops and nice cafes to eat at.  That is where central Illinois is seriously lacking.  If I want a nice cafe to go eat at outside...my choice is basically Panera of Camilles.  Woopdidooooo.  Don't get me wrong, I love both of those places.  It would be nice to have a specialty cafe though.  I have a brother who lives in Lake Havasu AZ. It is the hottest city in the US.  Also a very neat place to go, but I wouldn't relocate there forever.  Why am I the only one stuck in Illinois?  I've really been trying to have an open mind about it lately however.  Central Illinois isn't THAT bad, but there are just so many better places.  I really like the east coast.  Someday, I want to live in a victorian style of cape cod style house.   That is an ultimate goal.  It is more than a goal...I WILL live in one someday!

So wish my luck on my mission to begin eating healthier and working out regularly again.  Time to sleep!

/Cry

I'm tired but Jake is moping that I haven't updated in two days.

I had an awful day at work.  So I felt I needed to spoil myself for dinner, so we went to Olive Garden. Then we came home and were really wild.  By wild, I mean we watched the VP debates.  I have strong political views, but as I am a private person, I don't like sharing them often.  People take opinions too personally and I do not like fighting with my friends.  If people could carry on a normal conversation  I would be all for it.  But it is almost like people get hateful about it.  It's not worth it to me.

I really want to get more involved with the United Way.  I'm considering joining Generation United.  I think I might go to a haunted house tomorrow.  I have nothing interesting to say!  Is this good enough?

Today after work Heather and I stood around and did "It's Pat" impressions. I love her! I think there were also some "Very Nice" Borat impressions.

She is going as "It's Pat" to her Halloween party.  It was just suppose to be a normal Halloween party, but it kind of turned into an SNL themed one.  I'm going as Sally O'Malley!

Yes...I will be doing my hair like that!  I can't wait to get pictures.  I've been practicing doing my high kicks and says "I'M FIFTY!! I LIKE TO KICK, STRETCH, AND KICK!"

Actually, I'm going to go try on my costume now for Jake since he hasn't seen it yet.  Then I have to do my impression to see what he thinks.  I got my costume the other day for 5 bucks!

Alright...until next time....

Christmas Frame!

I started making my chalkboard frame last night for my friend who wanted me to make her some.  I painted it red...and the color didn't turn out how I was wanting. I decided to keep it for myself (when I make something for someone else, I want it to be perfect!)

Anyways...the red color turned out SO red that I decided to convert it to a Christmas countdown calendar...and I LOVE it!

I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some green sequins  a ribbon to make a bow out of, and some green pom poms.

Sit on a table...

...Or hang on the wall

This is what I started with.

This is the point where I thought....wow that is really, REALLY, red....oops.

Yay! 

Also..I used THIS hair tutorial today to curl my hair...and I HIGHLY suggest it. It takes too long to do it every single day, but I plan on using it many many more times.