We're Gonna Win!

I feel like Jimmy Dugan in A League of the Own; "We're gonna win, we're GONNA win!"  I can't help myself but to but the video on here since this movie ranks up there as one of my favorites. 

For the past four years I have struck out 7 times.  My first strike out was in Sonoma, California with the 2009 HGTV Dream Home Giveaway and my streak has continued to follow me through the past six HGTV Dream and Green Houses since then.  I just don't understand! :)

I'm feeling it this year..."We're gonna win, we're GONNA win!"

Much Love,
Amanda

Gingerbread Real Estate

When it comes to Christmas there are hundreds of traditions that people follow each and every year.  While as a child one of my favorite family traditions was baking Christmas cookies.  While we did bake pepparkakor men (Swedish gingerbread), we never did bake gingerbread dough to make build gingerbread houses.

Not only did I want to build a gingerbread house this year I wanted to enjoy the scrumptiousness that is gingerbread in the house form!

Even when prepared with pre-made building materials and plat map, construction is not as easy as it would seem!  After a day of basking in the beauty of my new found architectural abilities, time to chow down!

At least that's what Remington, my black lab, thought was a good plan! I got to enjoy the snowman and piece of the roof. Maybe next year!



Much Love,
Amanda

Real vs. Fake

The Christmas of 1985 was the last year my parents had a real Christmas tree, I was a year and a half old. So for me growing up as a child I grew up with artificial Christmas trees.  Stored in the box it was bought in  and kept in the attic, the tree made its appearance every Christmas.  As a family we fluffed, we lit, and we decorated our store bought tree; that's the tradition I know and that I've followed, until this year!

This year The Husband and I made the drive to our local Christmas Tree farm to chop down my first real Christmas Tree.  Prepared with saw in hand (no Griswald re-enactment here) we searched, we kept searching, and we searched some more.  Since growing up with an artificial tree my expectations have been unrealistically set. There is no such thing as a perfect real Christmas tree.  I guess that's one reason why artificial trees have been produced for the mass market.

I don't recall seeing the clouds part and lights shining down or hearing the angels sing the Hallelujah chorus, but we did find her! Yes, it's a her!

Why there is no crystal clear answers to the age old question of real vs. fake, this year I love my real Christmas tree!

Much Love,
Amanda

30 Foods Before 30

 All diets are off!

I have always been one to try new foods.  I have never been scared or squirmy when asked to eat such things as raw quail eggs, frog legs, octopus, or escargot. Cheers and down the hatch it goes! To me the best way to experience a new culture is through food, even if it does make you sick (Thanks Costa Rica).  That's why on my 30 Before 30 List I wanted to try 30 new foods.

Some of these foods have just slipped through my fingers and I have somehow yet to try.  Others are on here simply because some foods are just too spectacular not to try, right?  I guess we will see...

1. Eggplant
2. Rocky Mountain Oysters
3. Chicken and Waffles
4. Fried Green Tomatoes
5. Honeycomb
6. Paella
7. Spam
8. Sardines
9. Prickly Pear
10. Pickle Sno-Cone (It's at my local Sno-Cone stand and have been curious about it for years)
11. Chitlins
12. Foie Gras
13. Gazpacho
14. Pad Thai
15. Hasenpfeffer
16. Cabrito
17. Lamb
18. Elk
19. Bison
20. Gingerbread House
21. Prunewhip
22. Ceviche
23. Sweetbread
24. Sea Urchin
25. Beef Tongue

Restaurants
26. WhipIn
27. Uchi
28. Home Slice
29. Hopdoddy
30. Cisco's

Much Love,
Amanda

30 Before 30

 I'm a quitter.  I don't set goals.  I don't accomplish what I set out to do.

With that being said I have created a 30 Before 30 List.  I turn thirty in 580 days!  I have roughly a year and a half to complete my list.

I am determined.  I have the drive.  I WILL DO THIS!

1. Cook a Thanksgiving Turkey
2. See a Bear in the wild
3. Skydive
4. Leave a $100 tip to a deserving waiter/waitress
5. Take a dance class
6. Take an art class
7. Be brave...Go Dark!!!
8. Travel Internationally to somewhere that's not Canada (it's been 3 years)
9. Get a real Christmas Tree
10. Replace all IKEA furniture
11. Try 30 new foods
12. Go to a UT Football Game
13. Find a Fabulous LBD
14. Cook through a cookbook (The Healthy Gluten-Free Life by Tammy Credicott)
15. Get a Palm Reading
16. Be able to do the splits again
17. Build a Bear!
18. Learn to drive a stick shift
19. Bake a cake
20. Write and mail 30 letters
21. Watch all 6 Star Wars in a row
22. Ride a Segway
23. Go Paintballing
24. Change the oil in my car
25. Skinny dip in the ocean
26. Go to an Opera
27. Sew a quilt
28. Run a race
29. Blog my 30 Before 30 List, with pictures detailing each adventure
30. Celebrate my last night of my 20s in style!

Much Love,
Amanda

Somebody That I Used to Know

When it comes to cover bands, my expectations are never set too high.  That is until I watched this music video of Walk off the Earth covering Somebody That I Used to Know.  There is so much emotion and talent.

Much Love,
Amanda