Creepy Crawlies

So this week for the butterfly effect blog the theme was insects.  While I had been expecting the cutsey butterflies, lady bugs, ect... Karen who made a guest post said she preferred her bugs a little bit creepy.  So I decided if I was going to do creepy I was going all out.  I thought of the most unattractive creepy bug and in an instant centipedes popped into my head.  I REALLY dislike centipedes.  I don't really consider myself the type that has a fear of bugs but centipedes make me turn into an uber girl.  I refuse to even kill them instead going with the alternative of running away and yelling for someone to get it!  Yeah instant sissy-la-la mode.

But here is my centipede *shrivers* still give me the heebie-jeebies.  Simple but colorful despite having a healthy fear of the bug I really like the way it turned out.  Though I am wondering if I might add some stuff to the background later on.  

What made me decide to go rainbow I have no idea.  Lol just sorta a last minute decision.  

Here are a few of my favorite creepy crawly art that I found.

Anyways so nothing all that much going on here.  I am trying to figure out some fun stuff to do in the greater Phoenix area for when Matt comes to visit in September.  I have a few ideas so far but we will see.

I hope that you all are having a great week so far.

-Nadine

Le Mysterieux Carnival

Hey do you smell that?  Smells like cotton candy to me.  What?  You hear the music too?  Oh good I thought that it was just me.  

Look there just at the edge of the woods, there is something sparkly on the ground.  Its glitter... there is a whole trail of it leading deep into the dark woods.  

What?  Oh you think we should follow it?  Ok lets go...

These woods are a little spooky.  No... I'm not scared. 

You're not either. Oh good.

Hey look I see something....

Its a light...

Oh... its a jack o'lantern.

What is he doing way out here?

Hmm? What are you pointing at?

Oh there are more all along the path how odd.

Well lets keep going.

Hey look I found something.  Its very pretty.

Le Mysterieux Carnival... huh

Look there is another one over there... now we both have one.

I wonder where this path is leading us.

Hmm? Oh the music... Yeah it is getting a bit louder isn't it?

Yeah, I hope we get there soon too these woods seem to go on forever....

Oh how exciting!  This year things are being shaken up and changed just a little bit, and its fantastic.  I know this is the time of year when I get ready to see all the amazing Practical Magic parties here in the blog community hosted by our lovely Anna who's awesome blog is Frosted Petunias (botton to the right).  This year though she decided that a more fitting theme would be a spooky marvelous carnival!  Don't worry though the Practical Magic parties will still be held but in the spring instead.  So lets join Frosted Petunias and Incipient Wings in the spooky fun.

I am so excited to participate this October!  So many ideas.  If you want to join us in the fun go ahead and click the button at the top of my right sidebar.  Read up on it a bit more and don't forget to grab your silver ticket. ;)  Would be awesome to see all of you guys there.  I hope that you enjoy this post felt like doing something a bit new try and get into the spirit.

-Nadine

Mandala Monday

So here is the first ever for me Mandala Monday.  This post will have quite a few pictures though I don't imagine there will be as many every week.  These are the ones that Grandma, Caitlin and I colored this past weekend and I hope that you guys like them. =)

This one was mine and Caitlin's favorite out of the book that Grandma had already colored.

This is the one I worked on.  I really liked how it turned out.  

Glitter glue is amazing to use for these.  So much fun.

I ended up giving it to Grandma as a present. 

Sort of a thank you for sharing these with us. =)

Here is the one that my sister worked on this weekend.  

She did an amazing job.

Really liked the glitter glue as well. =)

And here is Grandma's favorite out of the ones that she has colored.

Aren't the Autumn colors beautiful.  This is easily also one of my favorites that she has done.

So that is it for this Monday everyone.  I hope that you all enjoy them.  Let me know what you think.  Would you have done anything differently?  I think it will be interesting to go back one day and maybe color some of the same designs we already have done before.  See how differently they turn out.

Hope all of you are having a fantabulous Monday.

-Nadine

P.S. Have you noticed?  13 followers!  Talk about having a big goofy smile plastered on my fave for the rest of the day.  Thank you so much everyone.

Oreo Cookie Dessert

So Oreo Cookie Dessert or better known as Dirt.  One of my families favorite deserts and the only reason we don't call it Dirt is because my friend who taught us to make it calls it Oreo Cookie Dessert.  I am sure most of you have probably had it but I figured that I would share the recipe anyways since I made it for everyone yesterday. Was perfect after the Chile we ate though we all thought we were going to explode.  Anyways SUPER super easy recipe and hardly takes anything at all.  Not the healthiest thing on the planet either to be quite honest.  So here we go...

Ingredients:

1 package of original Oreos or double stuffed whatever you prefer.  We like original.

1 Large tub (I think its 32 ounces?) of Cool Whip

1 pkg 8 ounce of Cream Cheese 

1 large box of Instant Chocolate Pudding

Possibly 3 cups of cold milk for pudding (the kind we buy calls for it.)

What you will need:

2 Mixing bowls one for the pudding and one of the cool whip cream cheese mixture 

(unless you have a big mixer with the bowl and all that jazz)

A whisk for pudding

9x13 Cake Pan

Rubber spatula

Measuring cup for milk

Note: You could use a whisk to mix the cream cheese cool whip mixture if you do not have a mixer or hand mixer but the cream cheese is sorta a pain in the butt to mix smoothly into the cool whip.

Before hand you want to leave the cream cheese out for a while that way it softens or else it will not mix well.  I would say like an hour before you actually start to mix everything together.

Sorry everyone I didn't take pictures of the steps like last time.

So after getting all of the supplies together and the cream cheese has sat out for a while the first thing I do is mix the pudding together.  That way it has a few minutes after mixing together and following the directions on the box to sit and thicken.

Then what I do is a take the Oreos and crush them.  You will want to take 3-4 oeros and set them aside for the top.  So you can crush the Oreos by hand but its a very messy business so what I do is take a ziplock bag or sandwich bag fill it up and crush the Oreos in there.  Sometimes I will used whatever I have to just beat on the bag for lack of better word.  Like the glass measuring cup... lol  Now it really depends on you how much you want to crush them.  My family likes to just give the bag a few good whacks that way there are some big chucks of Oreo.  But if you prefer them to be really mushed up then that is fine.  Then you just dump the crushed Oreos in the cake pan and spread them around evenly.  

After that I move on to make the cream cheese cool whip mixture.  Even after the cream cheese has sat out I still like to kneed the cream cheese a bit just to help soften it up.  Put all the cream cheese in the bowl.  You don't have to but with the mixer (or whisk if that is all you have [good luck]) I beat the cream cheese just for just a few seconds again to just make sure it is nice and soft.  Then what you do is add half of the cool whip tub into the mixing bowl.  Mix together until it is nice as smooth and very well mixed together.  

Now you go back to pudding and add it to the Oreos in the cake pan and use your rubber spatula (or whatever you prefer to use really) to spread it out evenly I like to make sure all the oreos are nice and coated.  After you want to add the cream cheese cool whip mixture.  It is usually pretty thick and hard to spread so I put it is in small globs all over the cake pan that way its slightly easier to spread evenly.  Trust me if you just plop it all out in one huge glob its going to be really hard to spread without making a mess and getting it even.  

Its ok if it doesn't look all that pretty with the pudding sorta making a mess and mixing in with the cream cheese/cool whip because right after you get that spread out you are going to take the rest of the cool whip and spread that over the top.  Then you just take the rest of Oreos you set aside crush them over the top and you are done!  I know it all sounds like a lot but it really is easy!  You just put it in the fridge after that and serve it after dinner or before if you prefer. ;)  Really good with a cup of coffee or a nice cold glass of milk.  Hope you guys like it if you decide to try it or maybe if you make it differently let me know.  I am always up for new ideas. =D

-Nadine

Mandalas

So I just have a few things to write about tonight then its time for bed.  Oh also sorry the FFF post was so late today.  We spent the day over at Grandma and Grandpa's.  We were having such a wonderful time that my sister and I seriously didn't want to come home.  Probably the reason we got back so late.

First though and I can't believe I forgot to tell all of you this when we got the news.  Yesterday my Mom and I found out that orientation for work is August 11th!!!  Still a ways off but really glad to finally know whats going on.  It also kind of works out for me since I have to go all the ways to Las Cruces which is... I think like a 9-10 hour drive from here, for an orthodontist appointment on the 8th.  Its where I used to go before we moved and my Dad already has them paid off so there will be no changing of orthodontist.  Plus last time they told me I only have like two or three more visits anyways.  Woot woot!!!  So I won't have to ask for time off work and I won't have to rush there and back.

Anyways...

So like I mentioned today we spent most of our day at Grandma and Grandpa's house visiting, swimming, making monster cookies, eating subway, and coloring Mandalas.  It has easily become one of my favorite new pass times that is for sure.  I had never heard of Mandalas to be perfectly honest but Grandma had a whole book full of blank ones and she let us make copies of them!  So I have decided to try something new with the blog again. It will be Mandala Monday.  Since both Caitlin and I have so many of them now to color I thought it would be a fun new art project to share with all of you.  It is actually very meditative in my opinion I enjoy it a lot and I am very excited for Monday so I can show you guys the one that I am working on right now.

Also Grandma spent the last week in Florida with some friends and her daughter and grand daughter.  They all had a great time went to Disney world and did all sorts of fun things.  She brought My Mom, Sister and I back presents as well too our surprise.  She got my Mom this really pretty hand made bag that you could easily keep your makeup in along with a copy of her own book signed.  I believe the book she gave my Mom is called "From Heaven to my Heart, God's Journey With Me". Here is a little tid bit I found about her via google search http://beverlyjanephillips.com/bjphill/about/  Then she got both Caitlin and I these beautiful hand crafted boxes.  Man she peg us pretty well I absolutely love it.  Now I just need to figure out what to put in it.

While starting to make a TON of copies of Mandalas for Caitlin and I, I noticed this little guy sitting on the desk.  I couldn't help but comment how beautiful he was.  Then Grandma told me she had in fact been looking for a home for him and offered him to me. O.O Needless to say I had no idea what to say other than ask if she was sure which she said we would call it a house warming gift and that yes she was sure.  All I could say was a huge Thank You and act like a little kid who was just offered a huge lollipop.  He will stay with Grandma though until we get moved into the new house.

Isn't he cute? 

And look he will keep my treasure safe.

Anyways tomorrow we are going back to Grandma and Grandpa's house to visit, color more Mandalas and hopefully I can make Oreo Cookie Desert for them. =)  I hope that you all had a fantastic Friday and will have an amazing weekend.  Pleasant dreams everyone!

-Nadine

Friday Favorite Finds

Sorry this is so late everyone but I wanted to get it in before midnight hopefully I can...
This Fridays Favorites is a bit random but oh well =)

My two favorite musical finds this week are...



Now I will admit that I am not the most.... religious person on the planet.  I have my beliefs and well that is that really.  But I thought this song was absolutely beautiful.  I hope that you guys like it.



So I know this is way different than the first but I really like this song.  I listen to all types of music just saying.  But this song has me listening to it over and over again.

So like I mentioned this weeks pics are a bit random.  Really though they are all some form of art.  So I guess this weeks inspiration is Art.

I just thought this was amazing.  Can you imagine?

So magical.

I love the color in the wings and the skull helm.

She seems so fierce and the painting itself is beautiful.

This picture was taken by one of my favorite photographers Lissy Elle.

I saw this in another blog that I follow and really liked it.  

I hope that you guys do too.

This is the only thing that isn't really Art related.  It made me crack up though.
I am subscribed to Ellen Degeneres's channel on youtube so I get these funny little clips every now and then.

So I have more to write but I am going to publish this and then just add another post.  That way I get this up before midnight so its technically still Friday.

-Nadine

Cold Chile

Hello Lovelies.  I thought that I would get on today and share one of my favorite recipes... food... what not just yummy good deliciousness with you guys.  It is kind of like pinto de gallo (think that is how you spell it... is the worst half Mexican eva).  I am not the biggest fan of salsa.  I don't like soupy... red/green filled with seeds kind of salsa.  Just not for me.  What I do love though is Cold Chile which is just what my family has called it.  My Dad is usually the one makes it and I haven't really found anyone that does it quite like him so I figured I would share this like crazy easy recipe with all of you.

Oh I took all the pictures for this though I totally spaced that I should have taken pictures of the veggies before dicing them up.  Oops.  The proportions I am about to give you make a pretty big bowl.... just sayin.  Unless you have a huge family, are throwing a party, you will likely have leftovers.  My Dad always makes like this HUGE bowl and he has no exact recipe... just sorta wings it every time.
So what I am sharing with you guys is just what we did today.
Anyways.... first things first.

Ingredients:
4 Large Jalapeño
4 Large Yellow Hots/Peppers (not sure exactly what they are called they look just like a yellow jalapeño)
2 Cucumbers
3-4 Tomatos
1/2 of a Large Yellow or White Onion
A ...bundle? of Cilantro (not sure exactly what to call it just you know when you go to the store and buy Cilantro and they have a bunch all band together.  Get one of those.)
4-5 Lemons
Salt


All you need for this is:
A big bowl
Cutting board
And a good cutting knife


Woot easy!

So I know the pics aren't the best and I don't know why I felt the need to take a pic 

of each diced up veggie but... yeah.

First before chopping the jalapeño and yellow hots you want to take the seeds out

and the thicker pieces of the viens...

Then slice and dice prrreeeeetty small both the jalapeño and yellow hots

Then after peeling them, you slice and dice the cucumber. 

I don't do it as small as the jalapeño and yellow hots but still keeping it pretty small.

Now we only used 3 tomatoes for this batch but it probably could have used one more.

I am not the biggest fan of tomatoes in fact I really dislike them.  

But this has to have tomatoes or its not the same.

We used a yellow onion for this but like I said you can use white also.

Dice about the same size as the cucumber I had a bit of trouble with that...

After cutting off as much of the stems as you can chop the cilantro the best you can since I know its kind of a pain.  

To make it easier I leave the band on the stems and cut right above it.

Usually works best.

After that add the juice from the lemon.  

We used 5 today but honestly I think 4 would have been enough.

Then just add salt to your taste.  

We like very little but everyone is different.

Mix it all together and vuala!

Has that fresh wonderful crunch and just mmmMMMmmm 

Really yummy with ruffles, or tortilla chips.  We put it on chicken tacos tonight instead of lettuce and the like.

It keeps pretty well and just a warning it gets spicier the longer it sits.

Anyways I hope that all of you like it if you decide to try it.  If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask. Hope I got everything down...  =)

Have a wonderful night!

-Nadine