Day 20 Happy: Free stuff!
Who doesn't like free stuff? Marc and I have a lot of free stuff to do lately. Tonight we went and saw Toy Story 3! We got a free ticket each from buying Toy Story 1 and 2 when they were released earlier this year. It was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. I laughed out loud and even cried a little bit at the end. Pixar is always great, but it was one of my favorite movies that they have come out with in the last few years. I would definitely recommend seeing it! It was hilarious, especially when Buzz Lightyear goes into Spanish mode!
We also have free tickets to go see a Tampa Bay Storm (arena football) game next Friday, and free tickets to go to the Improv in Tampa for this Wednesday. I love doing fun stuff when you don't have to pay for it!
My Toy Story 3 rating: 4 1/2 stars.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (019/365)
Day 19 Happy: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Hogwarts Castle
To me, it rivals Cinderella's castle for "awe" factor.
Being the impulsive, spontaneous (and crazy) people that we are, Marc and I managed to take a trip to Orlando's outlet mall and turn it into a trip to the grand opening of Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Originally, we had left the outlets on the pretense of visiting City Walk to take in the Harry Potter chaos and see if there was any merchandise for sale outside of the park. After talking to a very nice man who informed us of our awesome Florida resident discount rate (the best part about living in Florida), and realizing that Marc earned enough overtime on his last paycheck to cover both of our admissions, we decided to go in.
It was madness, totally crazy and absolutely wonderful. We had to wait in line for over 2 hours in line once we got into Islands of Adventure just to get into the Harry Potter section. I was so impressed with the castle and with Hogsmeade. It was bigger and more beautiful and realistic than I had imagined! There was a ridiculous amount of people there (of course, since it was the opening day). We didn't get to ride any rides, but we will be able to go back with our year passes. There was a line over an hour long to try the Butterbear and Pumpkin Juice, so I guess we will be getting some of that next time. We waited in line to go into two of the stores, Durvish and Banges and Flich's Emporium of Confisgated goods. I wanted to do some shopping and get awesome Harry Potter gear (especially a Gryffindor scarf, which I have wanted for years), but most of the stuff was already sold out. I ended up with a Gryffindor key chain instead.
It was awesome to go on opening day and be part of the chaos and be some of the first, but we didn't get to see most of the park and will definitely need to go back to get the whole experience.
Pumpkin Juice and Butterbeer
We haven't gotten to try either of them, but we looked at the bottle and it has a small amount of pumpkin puree, and lots of different juices, like peach and apple. The people in line in front of us said it was delicious. The butterbeer is supposed to taste like cream soda and has a little dollop of cream on top. It costs like $10, but you get to keep the mug it came in as a souvenir.
Honeydukes.
We didn't get to go in, because the lines were too long, but they have an awesome assortment of candy and it is connected to Zonkos joke shop. We will definitely have to go next time!
Another view of Hogwarts, and some Remembralls and
Sneakoscopes that were for sale at Dervish and Banges.
The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade
(All photos courtesy of Marc Vosburgh)
We had a blast, and can't wait to go back.
When are you going to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? What are you most excited to see and do? Leave your answers in the comments!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Grocery Shopping (018/365)
Day 18 Happy: Grocery shopping!
I remember going grocery shopping when I was a kid. I freaking hated it! Every once and a while, my Mom would load all us kids into the car and truck us down to the Commissary on base to do MAJOR grocery shopping. My sister and I, being awesome as we are, would make up games to play during the marathon trip. Our favorite was pretending that one of us was deaf, and we would do ridiculous (fake, and terrible) sign language to each other. We thought we were totally convincing, and that anybody walking by would think that one of us was really deaf, and that we were talking to each other via sign language.
Looking back, I realized that we probably just looked like idiots.
Now, grocery shopping is fun. Far less entertaining and politically incorrect, but fun. I enjoy shopping. Period.
And grocery shopping is technically shopping. Fun. Also, being that Marc and I are on a pretty strict budget (the wedding is eating my bank account, along with my soul), we have to keep track of what we are spending. It is like a game! I carry around my little notebook, making hash marks for every dollar we spend. Besides, we get to pick out ONLY the food we want to eat. Fluffernutters for dinner? Why not?!
Sometimes, being a grown up is awesome.
I remember going grocery shopping when I was a kid. I freaking hated it! Every once and a while, my Mom would load all us kids into the car and truck us down to the Commissary on base to do MAJOR grocery shopping. My sister and I, being awesome as we are, would make up games to play during the marathon trip. Our favorite was pretending that one of us was deaf, and we would do ridiculous (fake, and terrible) sign language to each other. We thought we were totally convincing, and that anybody walking by would think that one of us was really deaf, and that we were talking to each other via sign language.
Looking back, I realized that we probably just looked like idiots.
Now, grocery shopping is fun. Far less entertaining and politically incorrect, but fun. I enjoy shopping. Period.
And grocery shopping is technically shopping. Fun. Also, being that Marc and I are on a pretty strict budget (the wedding is eating my bank account, along with my soul), we have to keep track of what we are spending. It is like a game! I carry around my little notebook, making hash marks for every dollar we spend. Besides, we get to pick out ONLY the food we want to eat. Fluffernutters for dinner? Why not?!
Sometimes, being a grown up is awesome.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Friends! (017/365)
Day 17 Happy: Visiting friends
Our friend (one of Marc's groomsmen, and all around good guy), John, got a promotion and is moving to South Carolina. While we are very, very happy for him, we are also going to miss him terribly! Luckily, he had time today to meet us at the mall, where Marc and I made Bride and Groom Build-A-Bears:
Then he went to dinner with us, and came back to the house for dessert. I made my Gran's Chocolate Sheet Cake earlier in the day, and we ate some of that. My mom used to make the cake for me all the time on my birthday and it was my favorite growing up, but I haven't had it in years. It was delicious (see recipe below). Now we are going to watch Sherlock Holmes
, which none of us have seen.
Good luck with your new job, John! We're going to miss you!
My Sherlock Holmes rating: 4 stars
Gran's Chocolate Sheet Cake:
This recipe was written down for me by my Mom, and she got it from my grandmother on my Dad's side.
In a large bowl mix:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
(I also added a dash of
cloves, which I think makes
any baked dish yummier.)
In sauce pan mix:
2 sticks butter
4 tbls cocoa
1 cup water
Bring to a boil and pour over
dry ingredients in bowl.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Blend well, pour in greased
cookie sheet. Bake at 350
about 20 minutes.
Icing:
In saucepan:
Melt 1 stick butter
Add 4 tbls cocoa
Let cool
Add 6 tbls buttermilk
Add one (1 lb) box
powdered sugar
Beat well, pour over
warm cake
Our friend (one of Marc's groomsmen, and all around good guy), John, got a promotion and is moving to South Carolina. While we are very, very happy for him, we are also going to miss him terribly! Luckily, he had time today to meet us at the mall, where Marc and I made Bride and Groom Build-A-Bears:
Then he went to dinner with us, and came back to the house for dessert. I made my Gran's Chocolate Sheet Cake earlier in the day, and we ate some of that. My mom used to make the cake for me all the time on my birthday and it was my favorite growing up, but I haven't had it in years. It was delicious (see recipe below). Now we are going to watch Sherlock Holmes
, which none of us have seen.Good luck with your new job, John! We're going to miss you!
My Sherlock Holmes rating: 4 stars
Gran's Chocolate Sheet Cake:
This recipe was written down for me by my Mom, and she got it from my grandmother on my Dad's side.
In a large bowl mix:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
(I also added a dash of
cloves, which I think makes
any baked dish yummier.)
In sauce pan mix:
2 sticks butter
4 tbls cocoa
1 cup water
Bring to a boil and pour over
dry ingredients in bowl.
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Blend well, pour in greased
cookie sheet. Bake at 350
about 20 minutes.
Icing:
In saucepan:
Melt 1 stick butter
Add 4 tbls cocoa
Let cool
Add 6 tbls buttermilk
Add one (1 lb) box
powdered sugar
Beat well, pour over
warm cake
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Zero Power! (016/365)
Day 16 Happy: Power outages
Today at work, the power inexplicably went out (twice, but only once while I was there) for almost an hour. It reminded me of being a little kid, when the power would go out during a thunderstorm, and we would sit around with candles.
Since it was work, we didn't have candles, or scary stories. But we did have almost an hour of confusion and chaos that made the workday go by just a little bit faster. Good thing we have a backup generator, so we had some lights in the bathroom and the air would kick on for a minute every once in a while. It was like a little work party in the dark.
Fun!
Today at work, the power inexplicably went out (twice, but only once while I was there) for almost an hour. It reminded me of being a little kid, when the power would go out during a thunderstorm, and we would sit around with candles.
Since it was work, we didn't have candles, or scary stories. But we did have almost an hour of confusion and chaos that made the workday go by just a little bit faster. Good thing we have a backup generator, so we had some lights in the bathroom and the air would kick on for a minute every once in a while. It was like a little work party in the dark.
Fun!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Fun Homework (015/365)
Day 15 Happy: Watching movies for homework
This summer, I have three online classes, an internship and my full-time job. All I do is do homework, and go to work. One of my classes ends in two weeks, but that is the same week my internship starts, so I am not likely to see a decrease in work.
My Shakespeare class is extremely daunting. I have been reading a play a week, and reading about the life of Shakespeare. It is a TON of reading, and I have started to think in Elizabethan Shakespeare-type talk (which is pretty good, considering the first time I tried to read Shakespeare, I had no earthly idea what they were talking about).
This week we are studying Hamlet. We are supposed to be watching the Kenneth Branagh
version of the play on DVD and reading the play. But... the movie almost EXACTLY follows the play line for line, so I am killing two birds with one stone and reading along as I watch the movie. It's actually a pretty good movie, aside from the fact that it is over four hours long. I only made it about halfway through for today, but I look forward to the supposed appearance by Robin Williams (as a court jester or clown, I presume). When you get to watch a movie, homework isn't as bad.
I am also talking to my little brother (who just said to me "yay spongebob, boo shakespeare") on facebook, which always makes me happy. I miss my brothers and wish I could see and talk to them more often. I can't wait to see them when I go up to Georgia next month when Lyndsey gets home from Italy. He just introduced me to the Banana Song, which I will have stuck in my head for at least the next week. Thanks Jake!
This summer, I have three online classes, an internship and my full-time job. All I do is do homework, and go to work. One of my classes ends in two weeks, but that is the same week my internship starts, so I am not likely to see a decrease in work.
My Shakespeare class is extremely daunting. I have been reading a play a week, and reading about the life of Shakespeare. It is a TON of reading, and I have started to think in Elizabethan Shakespeare-type talk (which is pretty good, considering the first time I tried to read Shakespeare, I had no earthly idea what they were talking about).
This week we are studying Hamlet. We are supposed to be watching the Kenneth Branagh
version of the play on DVD and reading the play. But... the movie almost EXACTLY follows the play line for line, so I am killing two birds with one stone and reading along as I watch the movie. It's actually a pretty good movie, aside from the fact that it is over four hours long. I only made it about halfway through for today, but I look forward to the supposed appearance by Robin Williams (as a court jester or clown, I presume). When you get to watch a movie, homework isn't as bad. I am also talking to my little brother (who just said to me "yay spongebob, boo shakespeare") on facebook, which always makes me happy. I miss my brothers and wish I could see and talk to them more often. I can't wait to see them when I go up to Georgia next month when Lyndsey gets home from Italy. He just introduced me to the Banana Song, which I will have stuck in my head for at least the next week. Thanks Jake!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Laser Beam! (014/365)
Day 14 Happy: Free laser hair removal treatments!
It has been two weeks of happy, and today is a good one! My friend (and lovely bridesmaid), Taylor, won a Tria Laser Hair Removal System
earlier this year when we went to Nordstrom's Escape to Beauty fashion show. They have recently lowered the price, but it was worth $595 at the time.
When they called her name, Taylor, her sisters, her niece and I all screamed like she had just been chosen to play on The Price Is Right. Being the wonderful friend that she is, Taylor offered to zap me with her new laser so that I wouldn't be all hairy for my wedding.
Tonight she came over and gave me my first "treatment". I have been lasered all over my body. She started with my mustache (which I am most concerned about. I hate having a mustache, and plucking your upper lip feels like death), and moved on to the tiny little hairs that grow on my neck (thanks for the genes, Mama). After that, she did my legs below the knee and handed me that foul little gun so that I could do my own armpits.
Thank goodness she didn't lead with the armpits. I didn't feel ANYTHING at all anywhere else on my body except for a little heat until I got to the armpits. It felt, well, like lasers were shooting into my armpit.
I have to get treatments every two weeks for the next three month, and then three or four months more at one treatment a month. With five months until the wedding, I should be (nearly) hair free for pictures. And that's good, because I'm pretty sure no bride wants to pluck her mustache and underchin hair the morning of her wedding.
Hope the last two weeks have been as happy for you as they have been for me. :)
It has been two weeks of happy, and today is a good one! My friend (and lovely bridesmaid), Taylor, won a Tria Laser Hair Removal System
earlier this year when we went to Nordstrom's Escape to Beauty fashion show. They have recently lowered the price, but it was worth $595 at the time.When they called her name, Taylor, her sisters, her niece and I all screamed like she had just been chosen to play on The Price Is Right. Being the wonderful friend that she is, Taylor offered to zap me with her new laser so that I wouldn't be all hairy for my wedding.
Tonight she came over and gave me my first "treatment". I have been lasered all over my body. She started with my mustache (which I am most concerned about. I hate having a mustache, and plucking your upper lip feels like death), and moved on to the tiny little hairs that grow on my neck (thanks for the genes, Mama). After that, she did my legs below the knee and handed me that foul little gun so that I could do my own armpits.
Thank goodness she didn't lead with the armpits. I didn't feel ANYTHING at all anywhere else on my body except for a little heat until I got to the armpits. It felt, well, like lasers were shooting into my armpit.
I have to get treatments every two weeks for the next three month, and then three or four months more at one treatment a month. With five months until the wedding, I should be (nearly) hair free for pictures. And that's good, because I'm pretty sure no bride wants to pluck her mustache and underchin hair the morning of her wedding.
Hope the last two weeks have been as happy for you as they have been for me. :)
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