Basebald Event - Be a Hero for kids with cancer

So, as most of you know, I'm a journalist for a local online newspaper.  Here's one of my latest featured stories.  I think this is an amazing foundation and these events are done nationwide.  I strongly encourage everyone to support in some way if possible.  I am all about being an advocate for advocates and any cause that I can support in some way; whether it be spreading the word, monetary or volunteering time - I'm all in!

Feedback on the story is appreciated as well :)

http://highdesertdaily.com/2012/08/2012-mavericks-%E2%80%9Cbasebald%E2%80%9D-event-hero-kids/

Just "Joshing"



So some co-workers and I were having a discussion and I said "just joshing", so then the question of  where that phrase came from arose.  I'm a Google queen so I looked it up.  Here's my interesting fact of the day:

Josh Tatum was a deaf mute, but a very enterprising young man from the midwest. In 1883 the US Mint came out with a new nickel. It was deemed the Liberty Head Nickel and on the reverse side had a large roman numeral V stamped on it. The new nickel did not have the word "cents" or "nickel" stamped on it. Josh Tatum noticed this and the fact that it was nearly the same size as the US $5.00 gold piece, which at the time was used as common currency. With the help of a friend familiar in gold electroplating base metal, they turned these coins into a literal figurative gold mine. Tatum went from town to town going into shops, stores & mercantiles. He was very careful not to purchase anything that cost more than a nickel, where he would hand over one of these gold plated nickels. The clerk would accept the coin, and in most instances give Josh back $4.95 in change, which he happily would take. By the time law enforcement caught up to him, he had visited hundreds of towns & had amassed a small fortune!.
The Law prosecuted him but ironcially he was found not guilty on the most serious charges, because he only purchased items that totaled 5 cents, and because he was deaf & could not speak he never represented that it was a new $5.00 gold piece.
The same year, the US mint added the word "cents" to the Liberty Head Nickle in an effort to bring this type of fraud to a halt.
Hence the famous saying "you're not Joshing me are you"?

Gateway to Los Angeles

Soooo...The Inland Empire Auto Show (IEAS) is Riverside and San Bernardino counties’ only auto show and this year, more auto makers and feature events have signed on than ever before.  The 2012 theme for the IEAS is “The Gateway to Los Angeles,” appropriately named considering a vast majority of “IE” residents commute into Los Angeles and Orange counties using the 15, 10, 60 & 91 freeways as gateways to the 9-5 grind.  Attendees of the IEAS are not just enthusiasts looking at the latest and greatest concept cars, they are day to day consumers looking for their next sensible car or truck purchase; looking for the best gas mileage, safety ratings and more.
This year IEAS has teamed up with Make a Wish Orange County the Inland Empire Chapter for the first ever “Inland Empire Walk for Wishes.” This will be a non-competitive, spirited walk with the goal of raising funds to directly help fulfill wishes of children in the Inland Empire and/or Orange County who are currently faced with life threatening medical issues.  The walk will kick off on the last day of the IEAS; August 26, 2012 at 9:00am.  For more information on the walk visit www.wishocie.org
Local “foodies” are in for a treat as well with some of the best food trucks in Southern California rolling in for the show.  Famed food trucks at the Food Truck Zone include: My Delight Cupcakery, A RockIn Ice, Slammin’ Sliders, Red Robin Yummm Mobile, Bacon Mania, Thai 1 On, Dogtown Dogs and the number one rated The Grilled Cheese Truck.  Show goers who test drive a car in the shows “Ride & Drive” event; will receive a free food truck voucher while supplies last.
The Inland Empire Auto Show will kick-off this Friday August 24th at 12:00pm and end on Sunday August 26^th at 5:00pm at the Ontario Convention Center.  For ticket information and more event details visit www.ieautoshow.com

I'm in I will be there Friday for the kick off events.  If your in the IE area this is a must attend event...there's fun for everyone.  No need to be a car buff :)

Shut up already!

So okay, I have self diagnosed myself with talking way too much.  I mean I talk a lot...I really have a motor mouth sometimes and I can't control it.  Sometimes I'm talking and my innerself - who is, coincidentally, also talking - is telling me to shut the hell up already but I can't I just keep going.  And man oh man after a few bottles glasses of wine...there's really no stopping me then.  I told M last night that its a disease and he can't get mad at me for it because I can't control it...HA!

I know I get on his nerves sometimes.  I'm not quite sure what it is about the urge to talk about the most random things in the middle of a show that he's really into.  I guess I just have more to say than I can fathom and sometimes it's busting at the seams like a five year old and hard to contain.  If I'm in the middle of a passionate discussion I have such a hard time concentrating because I'm playing word double dutch, I'm mentally waiting on the right moment to jump in and just flow...freakin weirdo.  What is my problem!

Then there's the sleeping issue.  My inner voice is a bit of a chatty cathy too so when I lay down to sleep my inner me goes to town with all sorts of thoughts that apparently I haven't gotten out ALL day.  Between my blogs, social media groups, co-workers, BFF, mom and M I should be a mute by the end of the day but the cycle never ends.  Not only do I not shut up when I lay down but my inner me is so loud.  Sometimes I think M is going to tell me to quite down because I'm thinking too loud.  It's really weird, when inner chick shuts up it gets so quiet its almost eerie. 

I couldn't wait to get up this morning and punch out this post because that's what I loudly though about last night when I was in bed unable to sleep because my mind won't shut up.  I'm going to prepare for bed this evening with a bottle of wine and a xanyx a glass of warm milk and an asprin :)

What's a habit of yours that even annoys you...but you wouldn't be you without it?

Southern Homemade Banana Pudding

So I decided to make some banana pudding from scratch and I was completely impressed with my outcome :).  My guy is a chef and can be a bit of a food critic so when I get something with his "stamp of approval" and he goes for seconds and thirds, I know "baby done good!"  I looked up a recipe and made my own tweaks to it, so I though I would share it here.  If you try it, or plan to try it leave a comment and let me know.  If you're happy with the outcome please share my blog - pin it, stumble, tumblr, facebook, twitter, etc (anything I missed lol).  Here we go...

Ingredients: 

• Sugar - 1/2 Cup & 1/4 Cup separated
• Flour - 1/3 Cup
• Salt - A Dash
• 3 Egg Yolks - Separate the white/yolk *you'll need the whites later*
• Whole Milk - 3 cups *Whole milk is important* if you use anything other than, see my alteration notes below
• Pure Vanilla - 2 overflowing tsp.
• Brown Sugar -  Handful
• Molasses - Dash *Optional
• Cream of Tartar - 1 tsp *Optional
• Box of Nilla Wafers - Regular or mini
• Bananas - 6 or 7

 

Step 1: If you have a double boiler pull it out.  I just used two pots, of course one needs to not fit completely into the other.  Or a pot and a Pyrex bowl - you get the idea. Once the water starts to boil mix the Sugar(1/2 cup), Salt, Flour, Eggs & Milk into the top pot.  Stir constantly until custard begins to thicken.  Make sure there are no lumps.  Should look smooth.

• Note: if you are using anything other than whole milk, add additional flour to help thicken up the custard.  About an additional 1/4 cup.  Sprinkle in a little more to satisfaction as custard starts to thicken.  Also add additional sugar to balance.  About another 1/3 cup here.  

 

 

Step 2: Once the custard has thickened whisk in the brown sugar and molasses. Mix in well and remove from heat then whisk in the vanilla.

Step 3: Let it sit on the stove for about 10 minutes and then put it in the refrigerator to cool and thicken some more.   *I used 1% milk last time and because my guy likes think custard I let it sit in the fridge overnight*

Step 4: Once the custard is cooled and thickened to preference, pull it out of the fridge and get your bowl or pan that you will put it in.  *Make sure it's an oven safe dish*

• I like to do mine in a glass bowl so you can see my pretty layers, but this time I did it in a foil pan because I was making a few pans of it and it was more convenient.  

Step 5: Line your dish with Nilla Wafers; the bottom and around the edge with the round part facing outward.  Then add a layer of bananas (not too thinly sliced).  Next, add a layer of pudding.  How think or thin you make it is entirely up to you!

Step 6: Repeat Step 5 until dish is full.  *Note* You don't have to layer, some folks just like to dump the cookies and bananas in the bowl along with the pudding and mix it accordingly.  Chef's choice.  The layers are mainly for presentation.  Nothing like a pretty dish :)

~ ~ Prepping for Meringue ~ ~
*Tip* - Put your mixing bowl and the mixers (for hand blender) in the freezer until you're ready to make the meringue. It helps the egg whites not stick

Step 1: Remember the egg whites from earlier (make sure they're at room temperature) and pur them into the mixing bowl.

Step 2: Using a hand blender; mix the eggs until the become nice and frothy

Step 3: Keep mixing, we're almost ready for the sugar.

Step 4: Once you start to see peaks, we're ready to start adding the 1/4 cup of sugar a little at a time.

Step 5: Keep mixing as you add the sugar then add the cream of tartar *optional*.  I don't always add it to my meringue. It all depends on how thick you want it.  My guys isn't big on it on top of banana pudding so it's a preference thing.  Anyway keep mixing until the meringue thickens and you see peaks.  At this point, you should be able to turn the bowl upside down and nothing will fall out.  All done!

• *Note* Wait until the pudding is complete to start on the meringue.  Otherwise it gets all watery in the bowl just sitting. 

Finally: Scoop the meringue on top of the pudding then place it in the oven for just a few minutes.  All we want to do is brown the peaks - not burn them.  Keep a close watch.  Then opull it out of the oven and enjoy!

Don't forget - If you try it, or plan to try it leave a comment and let me know.  If you're happy with the outcome please share my blog - pin it, stumble, tumblr, facebook, twitter, etc (anything I missed lol).

Surprise!!!!!

So today was my dad's 50th birthday and we had a surprise party for him.  He though he was smart and started suspecting something so my brother and I had to throw him off this morning.  My brother left the house (he's a college student and living with our parents right now) and told my dad on the way out that he had an appointment and would try to meet up with him later.  Then I called my dad to say "Happy Birthday" and told him I was headed to work and that I would call later to see what was going on and maybe stop by the house.  He sounded so sad...lol

Anyway all the usual suspects showed up to the party.  I don't know what it is about family functions, but at some point towards the end of the day I tend to get into a very reflective mode and I like to be alone.  Now if you have any idea how big my family is, you'll know its next to impossible to truly be alone at a family function.  So, I hide in plain sight and bury myself in my ipad or a book or something and people just tend to leave me alone until I open myself up to being approached again.

I'm slightly irritated right now...I have a hard time digesting being told that I don't mean what I say.  I'm not in the mood to be in the mood to fight about it.  So I'll let it fester and keep it pushin'.  I digress...

Everyone is getting so big, the babies aren't babies anymore and they're having babies of their own.  Life always goes on...

All in all it was a great day and a great turnout for my dad's party.  

Nose Candy

So we all get these invitations "I just started a super fun business come to my party and check out what I have to offer - no pressure to buy (until I pressure you) and it will be SUPER fun..." *insert gag here*
Well I got one of those a couple years ago for a party selling wickless candles; of course I went to support because it was my sister and my bestie, my "Main Damie" (if you've ever seen Pootie Tang you'd understand...otherwise just trust me on that)!  I even went early to help set up and help her get all prepped for the big debut.  *Gasp* I even had fun at the party!
If you've never heard of it, the wickless candles use a highly fragrant wax bars that are warmed by a slow watt house bulb.  The bulb slowly melts the candle bar and starts to fill you home, office or wherever you place it with a lovely aroma of you choice.  The wax is melted in on of the many fashionable warmers that are available.  It's a great addition to any home or office and blends in wonderfully!  So now that I'm finished with my infomercial...I'll tell you how I really feel...
I am a fan, I have a plug in warmer that I love and I am planning on getting a full size warmer soon.  I have a four year old busy body who has already put the safety claim to the test.  It's plugged in the bathroom, of course she can't resist the urge to stick her fingers in the wax, *insert scream* not a scream of "ouch I burned myself;" it was a scream of "it won't come off and now I'm in trouble!"  The wax instantly cools and hardens when it is touched or spilled.  So aside from having to peel wax off of her fingers, there was no harm done!  I also love that if we forget to turn the warmer off before leaving home, I'm not stressing out every five minutes wondering if my house burned down.  I mentioned that I went to the party a couple years back right?  Well I bought my plug in warmer then and a couple of small candle bars to go with it.  For the first year I had that thing on every day, then sporadically after that.  I just ran out of wax about 3 months ago.  You can pour unused wax back into the containers and preserve it that way.  It's pretty awesome!  The only not so wonderful thing that I would say is that they do plug in, so you are somewhat limited to where you can place them, unless you extension cord it.  Nonetheless, I've found that everywhere I want to put a candle, there's a plug close enough to make it work so it's all good!
You can always visit the website to see more selections, but, here are a few of my favorites:

• Me being an LSU fan, I love this one; but there are over 80 schools, featured in the "Campus Collection," to choose from:

• I'm a military supporter. My fiance is a former Marine so, again, I'm a little biased here lol:

• These two I LOVE...The "Libson" and the "Chateau" warmers.  Libson is a full size and Chateau is a mid-size but they are equally gorgeous in my book!:
• 
  

• These are so cute for any little girls bedroom.  I couldn't decide which one I like best. They are both part of the "Premium Mid-Size Collection:" 
    
  Last but not least...I love this simple plug in.  This is the exact warmer that I have in my bathroom:
   
  Oh and I have to mention these cute Scent Buddies...they are great for the little ones.  It's a scent pack that is inserted into a stuffed animal and it's pretty awesome!  This is Mollie Monkey: