12

Sorry! So, so sorry! I don't feel as bad because I have yet to get any comments, but still...I feel like I let myself down for not posting in a bit. I will try to add pictures (I only get online at work...so I don't know how much time I can take).

I've been dealing with a very very big decision over the past two weeks or so and I will share it with you today. How about now? Okay so...

As you may or may not know, I harbor a deep and infinite love for Louisiana. Why? The architecture being of the creole/cajun/greek revival period...come on? It makes me groan with want. If I could live in a greek revival plantation home white with pillars and cover the inside with wooden-framed pictures and velvet-y couches with long floral drapes to cover my high-cieling windows...you know I would DIE! Well...I know I would.

So I have been researching how to make the big move down south (from Michigan) for about two years now (ever since my first time there). I have no degree, no real prospects of a job, but I was offered housing and food from a work-exchange program that I stumbled upon. First I will tell you about work-exchange. It is where people can travel all over the world and stay with hosts for free in exchange for helping them with whatever they need. There are different people with set hours of work or just people with projects they need help with if they don't specialize in it (carpentry, wood work, building, organic farming, gardening, etc.) and some just need help around the house or business that you can offer. I don't specialize in anything really, except administrative duties, but I LOVE to help. I cannot sit around someone else's house if they need something done and just not do anything. When I was little, I went to my grandparent's basically every weekend and I would wake up around 8am and go help my grandpa until lunch time. He lived on a farm-style stead (only with a chicken coop) so we kept busy. He'd chop would and I would carry and stack it, he'd chop down brush (trees) and I would literally drag them (picture a buff, tan 8 year old girl with freckles and long hair) to a pile and later we'd burn it (yes I was pretty strong, not anymore), I'd collect the eggs and keep the chickens and roosters and ducks under control, I'd feed and water the animals and fish in the pond, I'd help park the tractors (huge), I'd do anything they asked of me. After lunch, my grandma usually would enlist my help in dusting, cleaning, putting groceries away, helping with dinner, dishes, setting the table for supper, organizing, etc. in the home. We stayed pretty damn busy. So that's where my need to always be busy stems from...

This work-exchange is exactly what I was looking for. Here's the link http://www.helpx.net/

I went straight for LA and scrolled through listings for hosts and found Renee Savant. She looked like a red-hot riot and I was intrigued. I read the description about helping out 30 hours a week about 3 hours from New Orleans on her Sanctuary that she had set up. I also about died when she said she had a home on St. Peter St. in the heart of the French Quarter. It is about two blocks (south?) of Bourbon St and SO beautiful. It is a shotgun home, I believe? I always admired the house structure with many different colors to choose from and hers is gorgeous. She says that she usually has workers for 4 weeks, they help at the sanctuary for three weeks and then the last week she drives them to her house in the quarter and lets them relax, tour around, eat, and there is no expectation of work. She is AWESOME! I sent her a facebook message right away explaining that I plan to relocate to LA and that it's a life changer for me. I would have to give up a great paying job, everything I know and have grown used to, my friends and family, and move down south. It would be something difficult but that I know I have to do. I told her I'd apply for jobs vigorously once arriving (after work) and might have to stay longer than a month if I can't get anything. She said I can stay as long as I'd like.

Um....

YES!

I am completely, 100% terrified. I will give you my list.

1. I cannot live without seeing my mom at least once per week. It would be so SO hard on me.
2. My best friend is having baby number 3 in 5 short weeks and I plan to leave in 7. I don't want her to be without me if she needs something or someone to talk to.
3. I don't want to miss my neice and nephew growing up or my friends having more babies without me there.
4. The love of my life lives here and of course, does not know yet (I plan to tell him if I do go) (it's been 10 years, why not one more month).
5. I have SEVERE Social Anxiety Disorder which I have only just begun to discuss with a therapist. Anyone with SAD will understand my horror at being uprooted and sent to a city where you know absolutely NO ONE and having to look people in the eye, talk, and not have someone there to turn to if you feel uncomfortable. I can't even go to the store alone here, I have to go with someone. Imagine when I have to start making a new circle of friends. Oy VEY! However, I also see it as a challenge, for myself to break free of SAD's hold on my life. I will be forced to address it.
6. My mom's dog, Tess. I call her my sister. She's my mom's dog and "baby" so she's technically my sister :) We've had her for 12 years this Fall and she's gone through cancer and back and always is by my side at home, especially if she senses that I'm sad or upset - she will be all up in my face to make me smile (it's kind of remarkable how she knows).
7. I won't be able to bring all of my books with me. Hahaha (: my book nerds out there will understand why this is so sad. I have three bookcases full and though I will not leave without my top ten or so favorite series', I will be sad to know that my blanket of comfort will be unavailable.
8. I am so so so scared (this is my number one fear) that I will not be able to find a good enough paying job and that I will have to drive home two months later with no money, no job, and everyone will judge me. And then I will have to try to find a new job to pay off my car here. I'd rather become one of those homeless people with a dog.

The only thing that would make this a deal breaker is if I had to leave my ancient dog Jellybean at home. Renee has pictures of her Sanctuary porch and there's lots of dogs that stray to her porch to sleep in the sun for a few hours before taking off again so she said she doesn't mind if I bring him along :) hopefully the heat and humidity don't kill his old ass. I am so excited and hope he behaves himself. One piss indoors and I will feel like the worst house guest ever.

Anyways, this is not set in stone exactly, but I feel way more like I am moving than I feel like I'm staying. I am so so scared to tell my boss, but I want to give him a month instead of two week notice so that he can find someone and even have me train them if he can. I don't want them to be crippled by me leaving by having to take out time to re-train a new girl on everything. I also know my responsibilities better than anyone so I'd be able to explain it better. Hopefully he doesn't judge me too bad, as it is something I'd love to do.

Also, there is a refinery down in Garyville which is like a sister refinery to the Detroit one (we get a lot of workers from there) and maybe he can give me a contact for applying there. That would be an amazing transfer for me.


So anyway, that's my news. Don't know 100% if I will do it, but more so than not, I will be filling up my gas tank for the 15-hour drive from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Lake Charles, Louisiana in 7 short weeks.

I am praying for guidance and the knowledge to make the best choice for my life path. I know that God will help me and stand by me either way, but I want to do what he wants for me. I want to make him happy and to make the best choice for myself as well.
Any prayers or thoughts would be so, so very much appreciated.

Here is a really quick look at my pictures lately:

I painted my nails my favorite color - turquoise on my lazy Friday night

Braided my hair by braiding three smaller braids into one big braid.

Started watching Charmed again last week and have had to keep watching it (I am now in Season 3) loveee my series.

Thank God I caught this! When he wakes up, he will sit STRAIGHT UP and look around all dopey and so so adorable. Yes he is wearing a Christmas sweater, only for when he goes out in the snow!

Had a few glasses of Barefoot moscato wine on Saturday while watching Charmed.

Lastly, I have been praying about the LA trip and asking for guidance. I feel God brought me this glorious sign from my Taco Bell Hot Sauce. Yes, I like it hot. Yes, I believe it's a sign ;)


xoAmanda

11

Here's to post 11! Eleven is my special number. Not because I was born on 11/11...no, surely not :)

Sorry that I have completely SPACED on updating. I have been crazy busy the past few days and don't get on my computer at home hardly ever. I did have an amazing weekend, however crazy it was!

Friday I was so so so sooo excited for and just wanted to get out of work at 3pm. The whole day slugged on by slowly and then at 3:10 I booked out of work and off to my best friend's house! We had to make it to Lansing (Michigan) and it was about an hour and 20 minutes from where we live. We left late (around 4:30) and then I (of course) forgot to get gas, so we had to stop and get some after getting off of the highway (my light had only been on for twenty minutes...). We had five minutes to spare when getting to Ally Carter's book signing :)))

I've been reading her spy girl series since they came out in 2006 or 2007 (don't remember). But the last book for the series is coming out this fall and I am really sad, but she is doing a book tour for her other series. I adore her spy series! They are so familiar and come on, who DOESN'T at one point in their life, want to be a friggin spy?! I know I still do. CIA? Yes. Covert ops? Hell yes. I just love Ally for giving me a great series.

So we get there, run inside, and I noticed there are a hell of a lot more people than I anticipated. When I met Richelle Mead last fall there were around 120 people and maybe 80 seats (we got there around 3 hours early, so we were in the second row). But I expected much less for this signing...Not that Richelle is better than Ally, I just assumed more people knew about Richelle because of the "vampire craze" and all. Kristin and I went to the other side of the room where there's a small ramp that's hidden and stood over there to listen to her and we had pretty much front row vision. I even asked her a question when she let us. ME. I asked Ally a question! I'm not easily star struck, I just have wicked (WICKED) social anxiety. However, I rehearsed it in my head a few times and knew that as I am an avid (crazy book lady) reader, I would be upset with myself if I didn't ask her. SO I asked her if she had any certain writing rituals. She said yes and no. She likes to write at home and also at Panera a lot, but she gives herself certain amounts of words each time she HAS to write. Schedule-wise and all. I was so happy that she was super fun. Richelle was more laid back and Ally was just crazy. She was giggly and loud and just a laugh! I loved meeting her. Also, since we were kind of hidden, we ended up being the LAST to get my books signed. Of course. So we waited while the people in seats got their stickers (they wrote our names on post-its so she could cutomize one) and then the standers in the back got there's....and I was freaking out saying I wasn't getting one. I had a mini-spaz attack and then when the lady came by asking some girls if they had there's, I practically assaulted the lady screaming "I didn't get mine!!!" She was a sport about it and sat down in the couch next to us for a bit.

After...oh....an hour and a half, the line of people (young girls with their parents) trickled by, I was approached by some girls and their parents asking if I was in line. I told them to go ahead. If I waited this whole time I might as well be last. So they went up and started talking to Ally and I was like ...what the heck, they already got their books signed they just wanted to talk to her. So then Ally eyed me and noticed I had all of my books and the family left and she said "saving the best for last"!!!! Ugh, I love you, Ally! So sweet (and correct hehe). She asked me about MYSELF, where I work, what I like to do. I was like ...shouldn't I be asking you? Um...hello BEST author EVER. She's just a sweetie! So nice. Funny. Kind. Smart. Okay, I'm done. I had a blast! It was such a great night. I hope I get to meet her again, I still have her last book to get signed this fall. Oh and she also signed my bag that I made for my authors to sign.
Kristin and I made shirts for the Richelle Mead signing and went to JoAnn Fabric to get the stuff...and I saw some white canvas bags with pink trimming (I'll upload a pic soon). I ended up printing a picture of a pin up girl cartoon reading books and some tie dye iron on's that say "Amandas Books" down each side. Richelle signed it and then Ally did. Now I have to have the rest of my favorites sign it :) ugh it was amazing.

I also started talking to a lovely girl named Chloe Carson that does hair, nails, and makeup tutorials on youtube and is so sweet. She's around 15-17, christian, and a reader :) So when I found out that she liked Ally's books, I told her I would get her the one she wanted and have Ally sign it and then I would send it to her (she did teach me a lifelong lesson: how to french braid my hair) it was payback really. So I DID. And I have it in my car to send to her after work. I hope she likes it :) I told her that I wish when I was younger that someone had done that for me. My favorite author doesn't do hardly any signings and my books that she wrote came out around when HP did in 2001. I will meet her one day. If I have to fly to North Carolina and meet up with her...I will. And she will have 25 books to sign ;) and my bag, of course. Poor gal. Seriously, I have all of her books (15 small books) and then the re-released bind ups of them (5 with three in one), and then her next series is 4 small books (and the one big one with all 4), and then I have the first book to her next series but haven't read it yet (I'm scared I won't like it...I do this a lot). So 26 technically...but you know. She will hate me. If there's a book limit, I will be bringing friends to get them bitches done. Oh yes, this author I love, her name is Cate Tiernan (aka Gabrielle Charbonnet).

Okay....this post is entirely about books and my crazed obsession with them is showing through....feck.


Saturday I told my best friend that I'd babysit her four and two year olds while her and her husband went out for a Valentine's date. So we snuggled and took pictures and ate pizza and yogurt and watched the Big Bang Theory and Bubble Guppies for for or five hours and then I journeyed around the corner (literally) to my other friends house to get ready for our friends 23 birthday outing (she's so wittle). So we got all ready to go and then went to Bean and Russ's apartment and had some pre-leave drinks and then took off to Novi to "The Liquor Store" which I'd never been to. It is a huge arcade/bar/club and amazing. Maybe next time we will play games rather than get drunk at the bar and ride mechanical bulls. Yes. I said it. I rode a mechanical bull. Now....this girl is a bit shy and quiet....not someone who goes around riding things in public looking a fool. I did just that.

It was pretty exciting. Even though I was a bit drunk so I don't remember too much after getting on his back, I am very very proud of myself to say the least and I will definitely do it again. I did not know, however, they took pictures. So even though you can't see much, have a good laugh dears.


I will leave you with that bad boy, because after that I don't remember doing much else than taking a shot, drinking a beer, and going home. We had a blast. But then Sunday I pretty much popped pills, drank coke, ate a hot pocket, and watched Charmed and Big Bang Theory re-runs while clutching my upset tummy and whining to my deaf dog about never drinking again.

Overall I think it went well. Now to work a 6-day work week and not drink all week.


xoAmanda

10

Hello chummies,

Currently I am on youtube watching the volume two of My Global Adventures! I originally bought volume one from the local dollar store (random, but it was a travel movie for a buck so I didn't care). I LOVED it, in all it's rawness and Asia is so open and hilarious. It's about a girl that goes around to 24 counties in 8 months, hosting and giving us a look at local culture with historical facts and while doing physical challenges.

Well anyway, that was a year ago or two and a month or two ago I asked her to be my friend on Facebook. I posted a status about being left-handed today and she commented and she gave me a link to her director's youtube page to watch the rest of the episodes that I missed!! Oh I was SO excited. And I have been watching now for over four hours. I couldn't even read my new book over my lunch break because I cannot stop. I am on the China episode now and it's so interesting. Ugh, I love travelling sooo much. I just want to quit my job and go around the world. So bad. I wish I could have the money that these rich folks have and instead of spending it on prada bags and dolce sunglasses, to use it on plane fare and going to Guatemala, riding a train in India, fishing in Ireland...oh oh oh. I would die. Seriously. I just want to experience and be shocked by cultures so different from mine. I don't want. I need. It's nothing people that haven't been bitten by the travel bug will understand. None of my friends really travelled more than to one or two states here, so they just don't seem to understand. I don't blame them. I envy that they don't have to cry because they can't travel. It's not something I like because I can't do it as much as I want to. Which is always. What I wouldn't give to leave here and move from family to family in different countries. If I could seriously stay with different families and just do work to help them for it, I totally would never come back home.

Anyhow. I just wanted to share that. I have been much too busy for my own good here. I will report back tomorrow with more that I've been up to.

Have a lovely day.

Send warmth to Michigan, please :)

xoAmanda

9

Good morning dears,

So I don't really have too much to say, just want to keep with blogging this time around. I always say that and then stop for a month or two...so hopefully I didn't just jinx the hell out of myself. Darn.

I'm starting to feel back to normal after my stint with stomach flu. I was pretty nauseated all day yesterday, but took some zofran and feel pretty good today. I hope that it is over now...I tried eating some Subway last night (which I've been craving for a week now) and could barely eat the little 6er. It was the most depressing thing ever after losing all of the contents of my stomach and being unable to eat for a day for fear of getting sick. Sigh...I will have to try again later.

After I get out of work around 3:30 I am going to a friends house to watch Pathology (a movie we watched one night a few years back that was so creepily awesome). Well I found it, randomly, at Big Lots a couple of months ago and have been meaning to take it to her house. Finally, we have a movie night to watch it at her apartment. And of course, I forgot it... So I have to go completely out of my way all the way home and then back out to her place. I might pick up a pizza on the way and then we can just chill out and watch our weird, grotesque movie. Now I just have to hope that she doesn't cancel (she does that sometimes).
So I consider myself some sort of "cheap traveller" in the way that I search and search for SUPER cheap plane tickets (RT). I will look for weeks and not find what I want (cheap enough) and then one day I get an email from "airfarewatchdog" (love) and they will have RT tickets to NOLA for $204 and I jump on them. I have been searching for a couple of weeks now for my yearly trip to New Orleans and haven't had much luck. The cheapest I found were around $220 and that's just not good enough for me. I am probably the weirdest cheapo that I know. I will be stingy when it comes to plane tickets, but if I can buy a custom Harry Potter sweater for some insane price, I will buy it. I am such a nerd. I actually did buy one though....okay two. I bought two, damnit. I made one custom to my favorite books by Cate Tiernan as well. I'm such a sucker.

Anyway, I haven't gotten my "WHOA" number yet and I'm getting a little worried now because the prices are getting steeper for the hotel and I always stay in the same hotel. I WANT to stay in a new one, for variety, but the location of the Chateau on St. Philip and Chartres is just too good to pass up and is in walking distance to a cute little (always vacant) bar that is close enough to drink at late in the evening to where I don't feel like I will get mugged on the one block walk back.

So please please wish me luck. If anyone has any tips (I probably know them all by now) I'd be grateful. I usually look on Tuesdays (I've heard they are cheapest and they are that day) but haven't had luck. It will be my third trip to Louisiana and I'm absolutely in LOVE with it. I cannot explain the love I have for the atmosphere in the state. It fills me with such a warmth...perhaps like having a baby? :) I just can't explain it. Must be my weirdness seeping out.

Hopefully I can get something booked soon. I really wanted to go in March, but now it looks as though April will be better.

I will upload pictures from my movie/girls night tomorrow (if it happens).

Also, I am SO amped for this book signing. You all know I'm a huge book nerd and last year attended my first book signing by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy) and it was SO much fun. She is a funny gal and sweetie. And might I add...a Michigan native. So I met her, she signed 4 of my books and a book tote that I made. I plan on having my favorite authors sign it. So on Friday, February 15, Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls and Heist Society) is going to the SAME book store in Lansing to do a signing. It's about an hour and a half drive which isn't bad at all. I'm SO excited. I just need a friend to go with me to get the other half of her books signed for me since they have a limit...or well...the last time there was (4). Either way, I need someone to talk me through the drive. I've been reading Gallagher Girls for about seven years now and the last book is coming out this fall. I have been wanting to read her other series "Heist Society" but I'm nervous I won't like it. I always do that. Anyway, I downloaded the nook app on my droid for free and downloaded a sample of the first heist book and liked it. And since this is a Heist book tour for Ally, I will buy the first one and have her sign it. I'm SO excited. Only 9 days left :)

I think that is all, better get back to work.

xoAmanda

8

Good afternoon babes

So how was everyone's weekend? Mine...went from busy, to good, to bad, to ugly.

Let's start by saying that my Friday was every bit as busy as I had expected. I left work around 1:30pm to get a head start on last minute baby shower things. I ran to Michael's and Party City after work, nabbed the last of the party supplies and then met up with Alisha to go to Sam's Club and GFS to get the food items.

After that, I ran home because I was supposed to meet Keith where we'd drink some beers and finish getting everything ready for the party.

That was the busy.

The next day I woke up at 6am and threw everything in the crock pots. I fell asleep for a few more hours to keep my energy on high. I woke up, got dressed, did my makeup, cleaned up, threw all of the party supplies, cleaners, banners, food stuff, and three piece crockpot set in my car. I raced to Alisha's, we took her car to Kroger to get the punch supplies and cupcakes, and then we got in her car with enough time to get to the hall without rushing....phew. And then her car wouldn't start....

Oy vey.

So we had a mini-melt down, becos her car tends to not start sometimes and she's been really pissed about it. So she called her amazing boyfriend and he calmed her down enough to make her wait to try it again until he got there. And then about twenty minutes later she tried it again and it STARTED! So praise God, hallelujah! We raced back to her house, threw all of her stuff in the car, and then we both drove through the snow flurries up the road to the hall where we set everything up and threw a nice little shower for our best friend.

That was the good.

I'm not a teriffic planner or speaker, but it did go pretty well. I just wish I had bought fried chicken for everyone...we ended up not thinking we had enough food and sent Kristin's husband to get a box of chicken and it was all cleared out by the end (glad he went). Anyway, the shower is over so now I can save my money once again.

The UGLY:

After the shower on Saturday, Alisha and I hung out and watched "People Like Us" from the Redbox. She bought taco stuff at the grocery store, cooked the meat, and then we made our own taco's. Now...I always thought I had the flu before, but apparently not. Because I've never had the sickness that occurred Sunday night/Monday morning.
Please stop reading if you are immature/don't like hearing about puke and shit.
So around 24 hours after we ate these taco's (that were yummy), I was relaxing on my Sunday night before the next work week started. I had some meatballs and spaetzle german noodles while watching Casper. Which I LOVE. I hadn't seen it in a while, but decided to throw it in. After that, my mom brought me an oreo mcflurry because I told her I had been craving one. Yes I am 24 and live at home still, I'm single and poor.
ANYWAY
After the shake, I took a shower and dried my hair. That's when I started feeling like I had an upset stomach. I was in the bathroom every five minutes from that moment on ... emptying my system aha. This started around 10:30pm. I was thinking it was because I never drink milk and maybe I was lactose intolerant. Nope. It was the flu. Around 1am I started vomiting everything until finally nothing was left. There is nothing, absolutely NOTHING, like puking. I absolutely hate, loathe, and detest the foulness that is bile. Ugh, so I tried taking my old prescription for Zofran (nausea) and it wasn't working. So then I woke up my mom around 2am and had her take me to the hospital in case it was lactose intolerance and not the flu.

They proceeded to have me wait for THREE motherfucking HOURS before they brought my ass back. I was moaning and panting in the waiting room wearing NO bra, red wings sweat pants, and my florence and the machine concert shirt. When they DID bring me back they said they were busy and had to put me in a bed in the hallway. In front of the little station where the nurses sit talking smack about the radiologist or whatever.

I was SO furious I was nearly assaulting the physician and any nurse that talked to me.
I'm sorry, but do not make a bitch wait three hours and then put her in a bed in the hallway where everyone can stare at her as they walk the halls.

I have a god damn social anxiety disorder and you want to talk about diarrhea in front of 10 dudes and 13 chicks? No. I don't care if they've heard it all before. Leave me alone. I was > < this close to ripping my IV out and peacing.

All I wanted was for them to push some zofran through the IV that was in my arm for three hours. But no. They wanted to do xrays and ultrasounds and blah blah blah for 6 motherfucking hours before they sent my ass home.

If that ever happens to me again, best believe I will tear that hospital a new emergency entrance.

So around 9 I left the hospital, went home, and passed out for 6 hours. And then after a cigarette, I passed out again for 2 more. And after that I had two pieces of ravioli, read some harry potter, and passed the fuck out for the rest of the night.

Today I went back to work and want to go home SO bad, curl up, and read. I will then pass out again. This flu hates me, and I hate it. Well played, flu.

Too bad you overpowered the flu shot my deltoid got in November.

Jerk.

xoAmanda

7

Good morning loves,

So it's Friday - FINALLY!

Tonight I am going to be extremely busy and under tons of pressure because tomorrow is... My best friend's last (hopefully) baby shower that our friend Alisha and I are hosting for her. It's a BOY!
We waited to tell everyone when we sent out the invitations but now everyone should know! I bought all of the prizes and now I just have to get a couple of things today: Gift bags for the prizes, green bows, little sticks (I bought cute custom cupcake circles with sayings on them) to glue them on, a best buy gift card for the guys game, yarn for the belly game, some more party favors and jolly ranchers to go in the big bottle.

Hopefully we can get the food in the slow cookers and leave them til morning. I have to pick up the cupcakes at 11am and then head up there. I will post pictures for sure :) This week was pretty busy.

Michigan is yet again the four seasons in a day state. It was around 55 and rainy but so so warm like a cool spring day - lovely. Then it turned into intense fog into which you took blind turns onto streets not knowing if you were about to get t-boned. It then stormed and thundered pouring rain that turned into sleet and the temperatures went down freezing the roads and snowing white outs throughout Michigan. There was actually a 35-car pileup on the highway about 1/4 mile from my office window, crazy! Anyways, I have a picture to show how we, here in Michigan, feel as of the weather lately:

For sure! Except the first one ...it wasn't hot, just warm. I do love this state, just in-between seasons it gets a bit confusing and hard to find clothes to wear. Can't ever put my shorts away for the winter :)

I basically sat inside all week listening to the rain after a long day of work. It's not hidden that I ADORE thunder and rain...I sit on my porch during tornado warnings. I did once about two years ago when one came through two miles away. It was pretty scary, actually...but weather is just so amazingly natural, I can't get enough of the power of it :) so I watched Sex and the City (I have all of them) and drank some wine with my little old man sleeping next to me:


Other than working and watching reruns all week I haven't done much because I didn't have the cashflow until today (payday - love). So I have to run out to Michael's, Party City, and CVS to get my shop on. I have to get a couple of prizes and the rest of that junk. Then I have to pick up all of the food from my friends house and go home. From there I have to get the prize bags ready for the shower, get the food going, and I am hanging out with an old friend, Keith for some beers to soothe my frayed nerves. Because I know for damn sure that it's going to be a long night. Plus I have to find something to wear for tomorrow and get it all prepared for when I get up.

Oy vey do I have a busy day ahead of me. I'm at work now and I think I might ask to leave around 1:30 to get it all sorted out :)

Last night, I was doing my usual blog-reading and I often stumble to other people's blogs if the ones I follow aren't updated daily. Anyway, I ran into a woman that posted some gorgeous looking recipes and one was lasagna. I've never made homemade lasagna, and I am not very adept at cooking...I think it skips a generation in my family :) I try but ...I have no patience for it. At all.

So I asked my mom if she wanted to make lasagna together and my heart only fell once during this cooking process which is a success in my book. It happened when my mother picked up the ingredients at a little country store in town. Well...they didn't have the ONE ingredient I truly loveee in my lasagna and that is Ricotta cheese.

So anyway, here are the things I used:
One can of tomato paste
One can of tomato sauce
One can of diced tomatoes
Around 2 cups of raw mushrooms diced
A package of sweet italian sausage links (we just used breakfast sausage links cut into about half inch pieces)
Italian seasoning
Parmesan Cheese
1 bag Mozzarella Cheese
1 container Rictotta Cheese (I used two bags of Mozz. since I didn't have Ricotta)

I put my lasagna noodles in another pot to boil before starting the food.
I cut up pieces of italian sausage links into half-inch pieces, browned them, and then put them in a pot. I then added the tomato sauce, paste, diced tomatoes, seasoning, and mushrooms. I covered the pot stirring occasionally and simmered for around 20-25 minutes. I then got out my lasagna pan (9x13) and put a small layer of sauce at the bottom so the noodles wouldnt stick (try to not let the sausage get in it so you don't waste it). Then I layered my noodles at the bottom, covered them with the sausage/mush/sauce, sprinkled parmesan and mozz cheese on that, then put more noodles over it, then I put all of the sauce and cheeses on again (this is where you put dollops of ricotta if you have it), then I put another layer of noodles, then I put the sauce and cheeses on again and put the rest of the mozz on top. Then I covered in tin foil and baked at 350° for 45 minutes. I took the foil off and baked for an additional ten minutes to brown the cheese a little at the top.

When I took it out I let it sit 5 minutes, then I cut it into 8 pieces (they were BIG slices), then I let it sit another 5-10 minutes so that it wouldn't fall apart when I scooped it out. All three of us just about died eating it all. It was SO amazing, probably the best I've ever had. And I love my pasta dishes. It was so yummy. I only have a picture of me stirring the sauce, mushrooms, and sausage:


I also received my Harry Potter sweater that I ordered on Etsy from Soeffingcute. She makes nerdy things :) super adorable. Anyway, it was $51 with shipping but I just placed another order today for a custom sweater with my favorite book series characters on it: Sweep Series by Cate Tiernan. I'm SO excited to get it in two weeks :) She's so nice and the shirts are great.


Can you tell how much I hate it? Lol, I'm such a nerd but that's okay :) They are wonderful books... can't stop the love.

Also, I am extremely stingy with money if I know I can get something for much cheaper (amazon is my best friend, I have bought around 200-400 books/movies/phone accessories on here) and craigslist (where I bought my loveseat and chair for my bedroom for $100). So I go to ValueWorld every couple of months or so. I love looking through their household items. The one by my home is SUPER dodgy, full of odd things and kind of trashy items. But I still go, no worries here.

I found these LOVELY vases. This is of course the after picture of cleaning them up with some glass cleaner, but they were around 10 bucks for all of them:

The big one with the metal had a price tag that said $17 and they resold it for $4.95 :)
The smaller three were 95-1.95 each. One also has a slight green tinge to its glass which is so pretty. I can't wait to get my own place again and vase it up! I want to fill it full of treasures that I find on my poorstorescore trips.

Anyway, that's it for today. I have tons of stuff to do and plan.
I will post some pictures from the shower soon enough.

xoAmanda