Time to start another year...

Here we are at my 30th birthday! As I am flying out to Boston today for a PAX (Penny Arcade Expo / a Gaming Convention) there won't be a big "to-do" over it today. Hopefully Husband and I will have Afternoon Tea in Boston in honor of it, but if not, no worries.

In other news, I have a really AWESOME twin who I decided to write a little ditty for. Here it goes: 

There is a man...

There is a man who is a part of me

Whether he likes it or not

The man who has always been next to me

No matter what the world brought.

We were formed from the same materials,

Knit from the fabric of life.

We loved each other in our mother’s womb 

Before we knew joy or strife

Thirty years have passed since he led the way

with his sister on his heels.

How quickly things have gone from play dough to

Marriage and automobiles...

This man and I have experienced much

Joy, suffering, days carefree.

There's a man who is my best friend, brother,

and twin, the best half of me.

He is hilarious, creative, kind,

Gifted, and so genuine.

A king among men, but one thing has changed;

He’s no longer twenty nine.

As we step into our thirtieth year,

My blonde, blue eyed, handsome twin

I ask we do it as we always have:

Together and with a grin.

I know... SAP CITY! but I love him so I gotta attempt to let him and the rest of the world know.

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Now, let's review the last year's 30 before 30 list... 

Cat's 30 before 30 List

Health

1.       Stretch daily for 28 days straight– Done 1/2014

2.       Walk 5 days a week for 4 weeks – INSTEAD Sign up for a Disney Marathon – Done 1/2014

3.       Have a stress free Christmas – Done 12/25/2013

4.       Enroll in a fitness class – Done 12/12/2013

Creativity

1.       Start/Finish Honeymoon Scrapbook - Notdone, but I started it! 2/2014

2.       Make a Christmas Center Piece - Done 1/2014

3.       Make a Christmas Art Piece - Done Winter 2013

4.       Make a Summer Flag Clothespin Wreath  - Done 2/2014

Just Cuz

1.       Play season 1 Walking Dead INSTEAD Learn to Play the Ukulele - Done 1/2014

2.       Spring Clean with a vengeance – Done 2/2014

3.       Donate hair – Chopped March 2014

4.       Go on a clothes diet – Done June/July 2013

Cooking

1.       Make Good Pad Thai at home  – Done 11/2013

2.       Master the art of muffin making - Done 2/2014

3.       Learn to make Pao de Queijo – INSTEAD Make Meringues – Done 2/2014

4.       Start a blog and keep up with it– Done 10/2013

Adventure

1.       Ride on a motorcycle – Done 12/31/2013

2.       Complete the “Do all the rides in Disneyland once with Husband” List 

- Took off kiddie rides per Husband Request INSTEAD Do Most 2/2014

a.       Alice (closes 2/3 till 3/7)

b.      Train(closes 2/3 till 3/7)

c.       Astro Orbitor

d.      Sailing Ship 

e.      Canoes

f.        Tom Sawyer

3.       Complete the “Do all the rides in California Adventure once with Husband” List

- Took off kiddie rides per Husband Request INSTEAD Do Most 2/2014

a.      Silly Symphony Swings

b.      Ferris Wheel regular (closes 2/3 till 2/6)

c.       Ferris Wheel swing (closes 2/3 till 2/6)

d.      Grizzly Rapids

e.       Mike and Sully to the Rescue

f.        Tower of Terror

g.       It’s Tough to be a Bug

h.      Golden Zephyr

i.         Goofy’s Sky School

4.       Visit all the missions in SoCal – 4 to still do:

a.       San Fernando Rey

b.      Santa Barbara

c.       Santa Ynez

d.      La Purisima

Travel

1.       Go to the east coast- Booked (Boston) 4/2014

2.       Go on a cruise – Done  6/3/2013

3.       Step on a different continent – Done 12/2013

4.       Swim in the Atlantic– Done 12/2013

5.       Weekend trip with just Husband - INSTEAD Write up the Ultimate Jump Off Packing Guide for any type of trip - Done 2/2014

6.       Ride on a train with Husband

Learning

1.       First portions of French Volume 1 Rosetta Stone - Done - 3/2014

2.       Learn about Wine with Husband - Begun 2/2014

3.       Do a Disney Tour - (too costly) INSTEAD Organize Mommy School Info - 1/2014

4.       Read 30 books including a classic I keep putting off

1.       Vampire Academy

2.       Frostbite

3.       Shadow Kiss

4.       Blood Promise

5.       Spirit Bound

6.       Last Sacrifice

7.       Deal Until Dark

8.       Storm Front

9.       Fool Moon

10.   A Soul for Vengeance

11.   A Soul for Chaos

12.   A Soul For Trouble

13.   Moon Handbooks Brazil

14.   Eyewitness Travel Brazil

15.   Eat Smart in Brazil

16.   City of Bones

17.   City of Ashes

18.   Grave peril

19.   Summer Knight

20.   Death Masks

21.   Blood Rites

22.   Dead Beat

23.   Proven Guilty

24.   White Night

25.   Small Favor

26.   Turn Coat

27.   City of Glass

28.   City of Fallen Angels

29.   City of Lost Souls

30.   Wuthering Heights

I missed a few things, but considering I wrote the list in late November (so only 5 months

to complete it) I would say I did an excellent job even if a few things were changed.

Why things were missed:

The 4 missions of So Cal were missed because of time. We simply didn’t have time/money to do the 3-4 hour drive to get to said missions let alone the return trip and possibly the overnight stay.

The books is pretty obvious as well. Time. Attempting to read 30 books in 5 months when you are not already in the habit of reading daily is a bit of a challenge. I am happy that I got through 21 titles though. I can’t believe I was able to slough through Wuthering Heights. What a horrid book about horrid people until the last 3 chapters. Yet, now I have read it and I understand what is meant when it comes up in other pieces of literature or conversation. Yay for being all cultured and stuff!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Next List….

I figure I don’t need to have EVERYTHING decided just yet, so here are my goals as of now:

CE's 31 by 31 List

Health

1. Compete in a 5K 

2. Compete in a 10K

3. Get to ideal “pre baby weight/fitness level”      

Creativity

1. Finish Honeymoon Scrapbook

2. Make an Autumn Garland

3. Make Halloween Wreath

Just Cuz

1. Participate in a Group Cosplay – Wondercon 2014

2. Visit 6 places on my personally made “I-haven’t-done-these-touristy-must-dos-yet” list:

MUSEUMS:
Museum of Death

California Science Center to see the Endeavour

Natural History Museum

Queen Mary

Annenberg space for photography

LACMA

Watts Towers

Getty Villa

MOCA

Japanese American National Museum

Holocaust Museum

Huntington Library

Camera Obscura (Santa Monica)

FOOD/SHOPPING:

Eat a meal at the rotating restaurant (Bonaventure’s Bona Vista at the Westin)

The Ivy

Bar Marmont

Pink’s

Eat some dim sum

Eat some Ethiopian

Domaine LA (wine tastings)

Huntington Library Rose Garden for afternoon tea

The Original Pantry

The Dresden

Philippe’s

Tito’s Tacos

California Doughnuts

Amoeba

The Grove

Altadena’s Wednesday Farmers Market

Grand Central Market

OUTDOOR:

Venice Beach/Venice Canals

LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Malibu Pier

Mildred E Mathais Botanical Garden

Descanso Gardens

Self-Realization Fellowship Shrine

SITES:

Universal Studios

Chinatown

County Poor Farm, Rancho Los Amigos Hospital

City Hall (to see a view of the LA Skyline)

Little Tokyo

THEATRE:

Independent Shakespeare Co

see a TV show taping

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Bob Baker Marionette theatre

Upright Citizen’s Brigade

Groundlings

LA Opera

3. Visit 4 of the following Local Craft Breweries:

Angel City Brewing (Los Angeles)

Eagle Rock Brewery (Eagle RocK)

Ladyface Ale Companie (Agoura Hills)

Golden Road Brewery (Glendale)

Haven Brewery (Pasadena)

Smog City Brewing (Torrance)

Craftsman Brewing Co (Long Beach)

Monkish Brewing Co (Torrance)

The Dudes’ Brewing Co (Torrance)

Gentleman Scholar Brewing Co (Los Angeles)

The Lab Brewing (Agoura Hills)

Firemans’s Brew Inc (Woodland Hills)

Cooking

1. Learn to make bread

2. Make Beef Bourguignon (a la Julia Child)

3. Make something in the Wellington tradition

Adventure

1. See the Rest of the California Missions:

San Fernando Rey de España – LA

Santa Barbara  - Santa Barbara

Santa Ynez - Solvang

La Purísima Concepción  - Lompoc

San Juan Bautista – 406 2nd St, San Juan Bautista, CA 95045

Santa Cruz – 144 School St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Santa Clara de Asís – 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053

San José –43300 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 9453

San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores)– in the San Francisco City

San Francisco Solano –114 E Spain St, Sonoma, CA 95476

2. Take a Mud Bath

3. Go Ziplining

Travel

1. Walk the Freedom Trail in Boston

2. Weekend trip Sonoma and/or Napa

3. Weekend trip Sunnyvale to visit the Yosts (and see the surrounding Missions)

Learning

1. Take Disney Tour

2. Stream line Mommy School Binder/Ready myself for that door to open

3. Read 31 books including 2 classics I keep putting off

1 – Gilead – Marilynne Robinson

2 – The Princess Bride – William Goldman

3 – The One and Future King – T. H. White

4 – Mere Christianity – C. S. Lewis

5 – Surprised by Joy – C. S. Lewis

6 – “Finish” Dresden Files

7 – “Finish” Sookie Stackhouse Series

8 - TBD

9 - TBD

10 - TBD

11 - TBD

12 - TBD

13 - TBD

14 - TBD

15 - TBD

16 - TBD

17 - TBD

18 - TBD

19 - TBD

20 - TBD

21 - TBD

22 - TBD

23 - TBD

24 - TBD

25 - TBD

26 - TBD

27 - TBD

28 - TBD

29 -TBD

30 – Classic – A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

31 – Classic

AND THE WHOLE NEW SECTION: Quarters!

1. 3 things in any category TBD on my quarter birthday July 10^th

            a) TBD

            b) TBD

            c) TBD

2. 4 things in any category TBD on my half birthday October 10^th

            a) TBD

            b) TBD

            c) TBD

            d) TBD

3. 3 things in any category TBD on my three quarter birthday January 10^th

            a) TBD

            b) TBD

            c) TBD

While the 31 by 31 list is indeed incomplete, I think that the flux and flow of this design makes more sense. 

As I enter into my 30 year of life, I remember that THIS isn't permanent. That everything must be worked for, that I could get sick or in an accident and die at anytime, at whatever time the Lord decides to call me home. With this in mind, I have the intent that with my 30th year, I will work hard on making the world better for those around me, not just for me and my husband.

Maybe this is what it means to be an adult...? 

Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre...

I made soap...Kinda. I made a bar of soap a bunch of liquid soap. and I am very happy about it. I have pinned about 4 different recipes for this so I ended up looking over all of them and making it work. some of them called for glycerin, bu they didn't have liquid glycerin at Trader Joe's or at Michael's so I went with a version that didn't call for it. Here is how it went:

Crockpot Liquid Soap!

Materials
1 4 oz. bar of soap

6-10 cups hot water (I used 10, I next time I will try only 6. The soap quality seems a bit diluted with 10)
Whisk

Essential Oils (I used lavendar)

Honey (like a tablespoon or so...? I just squeezed.)

A Crockpot (As this is just soap and not dangerous stuff, it can be one you use for cooking)
Funnel
Liquid Soap Pump
Soap overflow holding container

Directions:
Grate soap and put into Crockpot

Add water.
Stir it well, so that the soap is fully dissolved. {It will be really runny at this point, but don't worry!}

On low for 2-3hours to help thicken it. Stir in Honey and one squirt of Essential oil.

Turn off heat and let sit over night.
In morning, it should have thickened nicely so you might even have to break it up a bit with your hands {I had to do this and it reminded me of snot, ick!}

Drop in another dose of oil, stir well, and funnel into pump and holding container.
Another option: If it's not thick, you can try mixing 3 tablespoons of salt into 8 oz of water, and then stirring this into your runny soap - a little bit at a time! - until it thickens to the consistency you like. I haven't tried this myself, since my batch worked just fine without it, but apparently it works really quickly so you can see if it's working right away.

Water, soap, honey and oil!

This is the essential oils and soap base I used.

Fun funneling the snot feeling stuff!

The Rabbit is happy to have a cuddle buddy.

Ultimately, I would like to try this with less water and with glycerin. I am VERY happy with the scent of the soap, but the consistency is a bit lacking. Most of all, I am happy to put the soap pump Husband and I received from Cousins Lefler into use!

Until the next craft...!


**Today's title comes from Mark Twain: Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run.**

Winner Winner

So I have been jonesing for some Asian noodles lately, but the last thing I wanted to do was to go out and buy some already made with stuff in them that I have no clue what it is. So I went to the web. Also, considering the fact that we have no budget left for food for the month and I don't want to go over, I was looking for the an inexpensive version of said noodles. Thus I found Budget Bytes' Chicken Yakisoba.

Chicken Yakisoba

Ingredients

½ head green cabbage 

1 medium yellow onion 

2 medium carrots 

1 small crown broccoli 

{I used some Broccoli Carrot Slaw from Trader Joe’s}

2 inches fresh ginger (used a table soup of powdered and rubbed the chicken withit as well as S&P)

1 large chicken breast 

2 Tbsp vegetable oil 

2 (3 oz.) packages ramen noodles

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup worcestershire sauce 

2 Tbsp ketchup 

1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce (this is what I would consider medium spice)

1 Tbsp sugar 

Instructions

Before you begin, prepare the meat and vegetables for stir frying. Peel the ginger with either a vegetable peeler or the side of a spoon and then grate it with a cheese grater. Peel and grate the carrots with a large holed cheese grater. Remove the core from the cabbage and cut into thin strips. Slice the onion into thin strips. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Slice the chicken into thin strips.

Begin boiling a medium pot full of water for the noodles. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the grated ginger, saute for about 30 seconds to one minute (its okay if it sticks to the pan but don’t let it burn). Add the chicken strips and cook until they are no longer pink (about five minutes).

Once the chicken is cooked through, add all of the vegetables. Stir and cook until wilted (about 5-10 minutes). Meanwhile, once the water boils, add the noodles and cook just until tender (2-3 minutes). Drain, return to the pot (with the heat turned off) and toss with the sesame oil to keep from sticking {I just put a bit of cold water over it}.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sriracha, and sugar. Use only ½ tsp of sriracha if you don’t want it spicy, use up to 1 Tbsp if you like it hot. Stir until the ketchup and sugar are dissolved. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the chicken and vegetables with the heat still on medium high. Add the noodles, stir to coat everything in the sauce, and heat through (just a few minutes).

This was seriously good.

My friend "DJ" was over for dinner and she agrees that it turned out really well. I think my cabbage slicing could have been better, but is that is the worst part about it then WIN. Husaband liked it so much that he actually stuck his head in quietly (I was attempting to fall alseep) and when he realized I was awake he excitedly told me how good it tasted.

For a dish so inexpensive, you KNOW I will be making this guy on the repeat.

Until the next meal...

**Today's title comes from Urban Dictionary: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner**