hoarder... i prefer the term "diligent steward".

One of my friends needed to use my computer last night... I thought, no problem! So I handed him the computer and continued on my merry way cleaning the room. The next thing I heard was "woahhhh" - followed by, "how many tabs can you have open at the same time?" Yes. I know. But I couldn't help it that I didn't want to shut this one, and this one, and this one. I was still doing research! I hadn't decided which ones I was going to try yet! Some people just don't understand... (and if I get out of the tab, I know that I'll never find it again...)

So I've decided I want to be a famous blogger. Is this ever going to happen? Probably not. I actually compiled a list of things that needed to happen before I could have 10,000 followers:
1. I need to blog consistently.
2. Nobody wants to read about the blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah my life. (See what I mean?)
3. In order for people to read your blog, you have to say something important. I just repost pictures, show recipes I would someday like to try... not exactly a recipe for internet renown.
4. I need more friends. Or random people that like to follow people online. Like me. I'm the creeper that never posts anything but has read every single post. Ever. I could tell you their life story, what they ate for dinner last night, how married life is treating them... and probably more information than would ever be necessary to know. Could I tell you what I ate for dinner last night? Nope. But it wasn't prepared by a master chef and then photographed to make it look like it should be on the cover of a "Better Homes and Gardens" magazine.
5. In the words on Akmun Ra off of Battle of the Smithsonian: "You must THimplify."
6. I actually need to have a sense of style. Maybe I should just start taking pictures of my sister and then passing them off for myself... now that girl knows how to dress! (Definitely more than my typical t-shirt and jeans regimen.)
7. Definitely must become more tech-savvy. Those cool gizmos and gadgets help make you look awesome. I look like I am a high school student that made a website for a class.
8. It's hard to concentrate and type while getting a back rub.
9. I need to go to cooking school. Or take a cooking class. Just so you all know, I am planning on taking a cooking class when I graduate. They just don't have any culinary classes at BSU. At least there weren't any open when I was trying to fill my Tuesday/Thursday schedule. (I was determined NOT to take any classes on any other day of the week. It worked perfectly! ...until I realized that Tuesdays and Thursdays are a very looooooong day...)
10. And just to get an even 10: I need to get a good camera. So I can take all these magazine-cover-worthy photos. "Hey mom. I love you. Would you please buy me $1000 camera? I promised I will only take it hiking and camping and everywhere possible so that I can take fantastic pictures of how awesome my life is. Thanks."

I think that just about sums it up!
I just need a magic book that shows me how to "be the best blogger in the world". And always be funny, witty, and always know what to say... errr... type. No problem! I've got this in the bag.
Maybe...

hmmmm.

a haiku (from a friend)

I’ve come to hate boys

You know what’s underrated?

Owning lots of cats

You Are Tired (I Think)
You are tired,
(I think)
Of the always puzzle of living and doing;
And so am I.
Come with me, then,
And we’ll leave it far and far away—
(Only you and I, understand!)
You have played,
(I think)
And broke the toys you were fondest of,
And are a little tired now;
Tired of things that break, and—
Just tired.
So am I.
But I come with a dream in my eyes tonight,
And knock with a rose at the hopeless gate of your heart—
Open to me!
For I will show you the places Nobody knows,
And, if you like,
The perfect places of Sleep.
Ah, come with me!
I’ll blow you that wonderful bubble, the moon,
That floats forever and a day;
I’ll sing you the jacinth song
Of the probable stars;
I will attempt the unstartled steppes of dream,
Until I find the Only Flower,
Which shall keep (I think) your little heart
While the moon comes out of the sea.

— E.E. Cummings

everything's gonna be ok.

it's rubbing off on me...

i have to try this.

amid all of the "other productive stuff" i was doing today... i found this blog. 

me likey.

pretty much everything about the blog. her clothes, style, diy projects. they're going to keep me fairly entertained and busy for the next little while. 

(unfortunately we don't get a newspaper... so i have to go and find me a garfield comic. stat.)

is anyone else excited for halloween?

i know i am.

(i have this problem of getting really excited about the next holiday... and especially about forgetting poor thanksgiving.)

not this year!!!

i saw a christmas commercial yesterday. and my resolve just about wavered.

but i stayed strong!

but my sister and i made a new resolve that it's going to be party central at our apartment.

:)

one proud nerd.

call me a nerd, but i love science. 
call me an even bigger nerd that i watch youtube videos about science. 





(you know you wish you found this first...)


but guess what? today is friiiiiiidayyyyy! :) 
and friday is the day that:
1- i can stop thinking about school for the next 48 hours
2- i can have adventures (and not feel like i should be at home studying)
3- no homework
4- my parents are coming up to visit!
5- did i mention i get to go shopping with my mom???
6- i don't have to wake up at 6. (wait... that really happens any other day of the week???)
7- quality time with me and my book. because i promised myself that i will finish one book every other week. (by the way, this is book #2)
8- i don't have to be any where important. so i can sit on my butt and look up useless things like this:





9- and this: 

(this just makes me want grilled cheese ohhhhhh so badly! i should stop torturing myself because i don't get to eat lunch for another 2 hours... this is just cruel...)

http://www.grilledcheesesocial.com/ has some of the BEST looking grilled cheese sandwiches i've every seen in my entire life. i mean, this chick has the art of perfectly grilling a cheese-which down to a science. nay, it is art. pure and simple.

if you really want to get down to the science behind the grilled cheese, check out the sporkful.

they are my new favorite when it comes to analyzing the nitty-gritty necessities of good cookin'.  

10- lunch today: leftovers from last night's cooking escapade.

 this is yet another one of those meals that just kinda... happened. we threw in a couple of onions, green onions in the fridge, an eggplant, peppers and jalapenos, leftover hamburger and spinach that was not lookin so hot... (not slimy... just a little wilty...)

toss it all in a skillet with some spices and BAM! 

PRESTO!

the most time consuming part of the dinner was finding out how to get the blasted cabbage leaves OFF of the head.

how do you perform this feat you ask?

you toss the head of cabbage into boiling water for a few minutes, and then the leaves just come right off!!!

simple as that.

then we threw those in a casserole dish, covered it in prego or ragu... and then topped it with some cheese right before it was done.

oh heavens.

yum.

don't tell anyone... i think i had two.

but it was gone so fast i'm not really sure.

11- friday is just a good day.

:)

now go partyyyy!

almost halfway.

four tests in a week???

i swear my teachers are colluding against me.

"oh yeah - killing jess sounds like fun!"

"sweet let's do it!"

ugh.

especially that hot guy in class.

yesssss please!

not all fairy tales turn out the way we think huh?

i'm going to admit it.

i have an obsession with pinterest.

it's baaaaaad.

(but oh so gooooood at the same time!)

you get my meaning?

one of my recent finds...

pumpkin pie shake!

for those who live in the frozen tundra (loving called iceburg rexburg) we have this amazing restaurant called sammy's.

their pumpkin pie shakes?

to diiiiiiiiie for.

especially when you get a piece of crust that survived the blender.

oh heavens... i might just die and go to heaven thinking about it!

anywho, in anticipation for one of my four favorite seasons of the entire year... a recipe! for pure deliciousness.

Pumpkin Pie Shake

vegan, serves 2-3

(random side-note: i've always wondered what it would be like to be vegan or vegetarian... you'll probably be hearing more about this later.)

15 ounces organic canned pumpkin - 1 can (not pie mix)

1/4 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup non-dairy milk, vanilla (soy or hemp preferred)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup vegan chai tea concentrate

2 tbsp soy milk creamer

2 dashes cinnamon

1 dash cayenne

2 dashes nutmeg

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups ice (coconut water ice cubes approved for this pie shake)

optional: 1/2 frozen banana, pinch of flax seed oil/meal for added nutrition

directions:

1. add all your ingredients, except the ice, to the blender.

2. blend on high until smooth. yes the pumpkin will make this smoothie thick, so be patientwhile blending. if you need to add more 'milk' go ahead.

3. keep blending and slowly add in the ice. make sure it blends icy-smooth! again, if you need to add a bit more liquid, do it gradually. you can always do a taste test before pouring and modify as needed to suit your own tastes. i added in a few extra cashews because I liked the body and flavor that they added.

4. pour, sprinkle with cinnamon on top. whipped rice cream-optional, but yummy.

serve! delicious any time of day. dessert-friendly.

and yes, it will taste like pumpkin pie! 

bold... beautiful pumpkin flavor. 

notes and alterations:

table for One? just making this smoothie for yourself? you can easily halve the ingredients for a nice sized smoothie for 1.

creamier? if you want to turn up the 'creaminess' a notch, add in a bit more soy cream, non-dairy milk and even a spray of whipped cream blended right into the blender.

dessert please! you can easily make this into a delicious pumpkin-ice-cream style shake by removing 1 cup of ice from the recipe and replacing it with a big scoop of vegan soy/hemp/coconut/rice cream. vanilla flavor of course.

perfectly pumpkin: feeling super adventurous and cringe at 'canned veggies'. well OK, grab a 'pie pumpkin' roast it, puree it and chill the pumpkin puree in the fridge. use it in place of canned!

ready?

set?

go do it!

(and tell me what you think.)

***

today is one of those days that i am so grateful to have a wonderful family.

simply because my sister makes me dinner when i am pushing to get a homework assignment done on time.

she's pretty much the bomb.com.

and even though i missed my mom's 4 phone calls, i still know that she loves me enough to call. 

even though i'm in class.

and my brother telling me about an acronym that his 8th grade teacher taught him to remember the first presidents of the united states. do i remember them? no. but i sure appreciated him telling me!

well hello sunshine!

i love waking up early and sitting on the couch with my chilly toes stuck under a gigantic mound of blankets, with my computer and a big cup of hot chocolate. 


ooooh yes, i am sooooo ready for fall right now.


i've decided it's been too long since you've gotten any music, and i've been feeling in a somewhat indie mood as of late, so here ya go.

beware. this is what happens when i am allowed to sit and surf the web uninterrupted. 


i listened to her version of elton john's song: your song this morning, and fell in love with ellie goulding's voice. 








i've been doing projects with my mom straight for the past few weeks that i've been home, so i've got major crafts on the brain. this is my next project:

infinity dress and here

and for the piece de resistance - i want to try this!

recipe here

my toes are warm, the hot cocoa is gone, and mom is finally up. time to start the day!

:)

this is what happens when i stay inside too long.

dilemma: (this is going to sound like old news) but i figure i might as well tell you why i don't post as often as i would like.
my computer doesn't like my camera. 
sounds juvenile right?
i told them to work it out... but so far, neither one is yielding.
so picture-posting here will probably end up being stolen for my compatriots here with me in jerusalem until i can get my own pictures uploaded! 


we just got done with midterms... WOOHOO!
[you were under the impression that this was a vacation weren't you???]
nope. i actually have to study. boo.
but since we couldn't really leave the center for the past two days, i regressed back to surfing the web. and blog stalking. (my favorite!)
not that this is anywhere in the near future, but i think that this is super cute!
how many of you (hopefully this is limited to just you girls!!!) had american dolls growing up? i did. i'm pretty sure i read all of their stories, and knew all about their lives. i had an even split between those and the hardy boys... (my dad had to have a hand in my literature choices as well). what did your doll say about you? mine made me laugh. i had one of the dolls that looked like you, but if i'd have had my choice, i would have gotten molly. (it had something to do with an obsession with world war two...)
being in israel, i find this blog particularly funny. i'm on a hunt for cookbooks. (because the food here is amazing!) but i'm thinking falafel fridays when i get back to the states is going to be a very good tradition. a very tasty tradition at that...


on another note, we started a volleyball tournament last night!
my team is the hyksos. you miss a lot when you don't hear us cheer. it is pretty incredible. we lost the first game, won the second, and i stayed to watch the other teams play the last game. now i just need to get my basketball kick for the week and i'll be happy!