Girls Night w/ My Couginas!

A Visit From Sarah & Anna

Yesterday, I got a visit from my two cousins who are actually more like sisters to me. We had a GREAT time! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful family. We made pulled chicken and some mixed veggies, and chatted for hours!

trying to set up the timer on my camera to take a "group shot," and I thought this was rather funny.

So great to have been born to friends.

having a great visit! Watching "What Not to Wear" and visiting...eating popcorn and Ben & Jerry's ice cream!!!

we spent a lot of time discussing ideas for Rachael's upcoming bridal shower =)

Thanks for a great time girls!!!

SkyWatch Friday ~ Super Sky

We might be in Smallville, Toto.

Superman like sky. This was taken with my cell phone driving home this week.

the warm weather has brought with it spooooooky skies.

this just reminded me of something tropical and mysterious. This was my attempt at catching one of the warmest evenings we've experienced since fall at my favorite time of night (when the sky to the west is colorful and bright and to the east it's pitch black....and there is a beautiful mosaic of blues in between.

My second job is at Hollister Co. One perk about this job is the HUGE TVs that display the live feed from Huntington Beach, California. Last night, while working the closing shift. It was 10:08 EST and 7:08 PST when the sun was in the midst of its brilliant color display in the west coast sky. Having finished folding down the store, I watched in awe the amazing sky of fire until it went mostly dark at 10:17 EST and 7:17 PST.

It was AMAZING getting to see a the sunset live from 3,000 miles away.


for more gorgeous photos....

SkyWatch Friday ~ Clearer Skies

Warmer, Sunnier, Brighter... almost spring?

These flowers aren't actually blooming yet... we saw them at our local greenhouse garden show! But, it was a great reminder of what's to come.beautiful skies!

and after our TONS of snowfall, we finally saw clear skies and temperatures in the 50s.

Took this during a date night with Red. The sky was so pink and red.... and the sailors delighted with WARM weather!!!! The feet and feet of snow has begun to melt!

for more amazing views, visit...

A Day in Spring

Spring is Here. . . at Adam's greenhouse at least. . . =) Beautiful yellow tulips.

Red & I having a GREAT time at the green house in Adam's Fairacre Farms

I bought some things for planting a few things...and I LOVED these garden gloves because of what they said. Women are beautiful.

it felt like walking from bitter winter with snow, to a mid-spring beautiful fairyland

Farm bottled olive oil we bought after sampling it in the gardens =) I LOVE Adams Fairacre Farm!! Amazing Day!

SkyWatch Friday ~ Snow Emergency

Because you were wondering what a state of emergency looked like...

beautiful, but dangerous.
Thursday evening, February 25th my town and neighboring areas went into a
state of emergency
due to the massive "snowicane," which I mentioned last skywatch Friday in my post. The storm ended up worse that night (Thursday) after my post when we got dropped with more heavy snow measured in FEET!!!

At least THREE feet
(below is a picture of CARS under a TREE which is hanging by a limb lol from the weight of the snow) Silly people park their cars under trees!

And Tuesday a half day from school, Wednesday off, Thursday off, Friday off, and Monday off FOUR 1/2 consecutive snow days!!! Never in my life...

Below are two action shots driving home from my second job at the mall Thursday night. Got to love that my town goes into a state of emergency, but the mall (the town over, with just as bad conditions) feels the need to stay open?!?

beyond this massive wall of snow is our "main road." The plow left a blockage of snow across the exit of the mall... which made it impossible for me, in my CIVIC, to drive through lol. So I had to go back up the hill and try another exit, finally getting through.

Sadly, I was more concerned with getting good photos to post for SkyWatch than making it through the wall of snow!!! haha!
This is how "unplowed" the roads were. The bottom of my car was RIDING on that center mound of snow. You can see tire tracks where someone paved a little way for me.
Our parking lot TWO days later!! YYEAAH, it was a mess!

for more amazing photos visit...

Cooking w/ Red & Connie ~ Connie's Bannana Bread

My Special Banana Bread Recipe!
banana bread is very special in my family. My grandfather
has made banana bread for our family gatherings for years, and it is always so good
and comforting. Since growing up, and moving into my own apartment I delight in all foods
that bring me back to my childhood. It took many tries to make this recipe a delicious one
of my own. I hope you enjoy!
INGREDIENTS: ( this makes TWO loaves)
*1 cup smart balance butter
*1/4 cup granulated sugar
*1/2 cup dark brown sugar
*4 egglands best eggs
*2 cups buttermilk
*4 1/2 cups flour
*2 tsps baking powder
*2 1/2 tsps baking soda
*8 mashed bananas
*1/2 tsp nutmeg
*about 1/4 cup cinnamon (or to taste)
*1 tbs almond extract

First: Preheat the oven to... 375 degrees!
*Then the magic begins!
I hardly ever measure properly... Red, always teases me about this. So, many of these measurements are an estimate =)
Oh, and that whole separate bowl for dry and wet ingredients... yyyeaahh too much cleanup, so I just dump it all in one!

STEP ONE: Cream smart balance and both sugars in a bowl
STEP TWO: Add eggs and stir

STEP THREE: Add buttermilk, baking soda, and almond extract...stir

yyyeahhh, at this point it'll look kind of gross, but TRUST ME, it's delicious!!!!

I like to peel all my bananas first before mushing them with my hands... Don't forget you need 8!!!
STEP FOUR: Add mushed bananas and stirSTEP FIVE: add cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and baking powder and stir into the mixture.
STEP SIX: pour into bread pans... you'll need two this is a double recipe...
I like to freeze one to have on hand =)Waiting is the hardest part!!!
STEP SEVEN: Bake for 60-75 minutes (depending on size of pan) The pan you see here takes me 75 minutes to bake.Enjoy!!!

Happy Foodie Friday!! Click here to view more amazing recipes to satisfy any food craving

SkyWatch Friday ~ "Snowicane"

This Week is a Snow Watch!!!

it snowed all night Tuesday into Wednesday... we got

dismissed from school early, and then a SNOW DAY Wednesday!!!

TONS of SNOW!

we had hardly any snow left on the ground before this storm... now it's piled high!

...roads are slick...

trees are falling... thousands are with out power! Thick & heavy snow!

some action image of the snow

beautiful, but dangerous!

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