An Open Letter to Taylor Swift.

Dear Taylor,

TSwift. TSwizzle. Whatever.
We need to talk.
First of all, congrats on your new album, Red. I really do like it, I'm currently listening to "Come Back, Be Here," and it's great. One of my other favorites was "I Knew You Were Trouble," because I really identified with the concept of the song. SO I THOUGHT. But then I saw this.

 



 





I just....wow.What was that? When I pictured knowing someone was trouble, I was thinking more along the lines of the boy who tried to get with all of your friends at the same time and you knew about it but decided to ignore it and ended up with a mess on your hands your first semester of college, but you obviously pictured ACTUAL DANGER. Like really, I'm concerned. I heard on your E! True Hollywood Story that when you write songs you picture the music videos as well, so obviously we're drawing from real life experiences here. Are you on drugs? Did you really date someone who left you alone in a field? Is that why you date children now? Who are you? I mean, I understand that it's hard to find a man, but don't put yourself in a compromising situation (like a barfight or a sketch motel) just so you don't have to be alone. Also, you are a role model to small children, who do not need to think that this is okay. I know this is blunt, but really, if this is how you live your life, I'm worried and you need help. Oh, and speaking of blunt, the frizzy, multi-colored blunt bob you have going on? You look like an orphan, please stop. Other than that, best of luck in your latest relationship, hopefully you can get some great songs out of it.
Sincerely,
Kristen

#finals2012

Hey Cats!

So, it's finals week.

Gross.

Actually, I have a love-hate relationship with finals. Hate for the obvious reasons of "I've been in the library since dawn and I have NO RECALL OF THIS INFORMATION WHATSOEVER", and love because it means classes are almost over and I can go home and eat real food and blog and craft for days. And they mean I will soon find out my GPA for the semester, which makes me really excited. As long as it's good. Which brings me to my next point.

I have BIG NEWS EVERYONE. I think I have decided what I'm going to do with my life. Finally.

I have decided to go to law school! Well not like, now, obviously, since I'm only in my second year of college, but I have decided to head in that direction. I've been thinking about being a lawyer for a long time, but I finally decided to commit and make it my actual, concrete goal. AND I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. Last week I went to pre-professional advising and had a nice, encouraging chat with Karen. It was so great, she was such a gem. Hopefully this is actually what I want to do and I haven't just been watching Legally Blonde too much.

So there's that.

Also, I've been thinking about what I plan to do with my time over Christmas break. First, I will sleep. For as long as I want. And it will be blissful. You see, I somehow got 8 a.m. classes four days a week this semester, and I seem to have something to do early every Saturday, so I can't remember the last time I slept in. Next, I will frantically run around and buy everyone Christmas gifts. I have an idea of what I'm getting my Princess SisterCat, but I can't say because she will read this. I have NO IDEA what I'm getting my parents. Maybe I'll just limit my whiny phone calls to once a week, they will LOVE THAT. After I have all my shopping done, I will catch up with my high school friends. They're so great, and I love them. Most of us are scattered all over the place, so we only see each other during Thanksgiving/Christmas/Summer breaks. We're already planning a potluck dinner, since we're all so excited that we're basically gourmet chefs now that we don't live in the dorms.We'll also probably FREAK OUT about the fact that WILLIAM AND KATE ARE HAVING A BABY OMG. Out senior year was the Royal Wedding, and we stayed up all night and had a party and woke up at 4 to watch it live and wore dresses to school. So we'll obviously be having a baby shower for them.  Also, I'll be hanging out with my Princess SisterCat. We're besties, and we're going to have a great time being together for an entire month. Especially when we have our Christmas Eve sleepover! I can't wait. I'll also eat way too much, but luckily big bulky sweaters are in. Just kidding. Kind of. And then I'll do whatever I want, but that's not any different from any other day of my life.

As I mentioned earlier, it's finals week. So I leave you with this. I hope you can control yourselves better than this girl. (sometimes I feel like doing this to the annoying freshman couple that makes out on the couch in the libs, but I don't. Thank God.)

Until next time!

Vintage Ventures

Hey Cats!

First of all, happy Caturday Saturday. I am spending today doing whatever I want, but that's really no different than usual. This morning tow of my roommates and I made breakfast (Well, they made breakfast. I set the table, but that's important, too.) for our other roommate. She had a super bad day yesterday, so we just wanted to make her feel special. We made French toast, and it was simply divine.


The raspberries make me feel better about how much I actually ate. Isn't it beautiful?

After breakfast, I was in one of those awkward moods where I know I want to do something with my day, but I don't know what, but I really don't want to do anything, but I don't want to sit around all day, but I can't decide what to do with myself so I end up on Pinterest looking for a craft. It was a stressful time, as usual. I ended up going to a thrift store with the intention of finding a picture frame or plate or some other object to craft with. So really, I had no plan, I was just bored.

 Now, this is where I have to explain myself. I have never been a fan of buying clothes at thrift stores. This is going to make me sound like a total princess (accurate) but it freaks me out a little to buy other people's old clothes. Also, they smell wierd and you can't try it on before you buy it, which makes it difficult to commit to a purchase. But my roommate has found some absolute gems at this one thrift store in Bryan, so I decided to put aside my preconcieved ideas and see what I could find.

Aside from the fact that I got lost in Bryan, which is never a good thing, it was an overall positive experience. I went looking for big sweaters because my roommate has found quite a few there, and they are my latest fall obsession. AND I FOUND IT.

It looks like a horrible poo green in this picture, but I promise it's cuter in real life.

So I came across this olive cable-knit JCrew number and HAD to have it. I plan to wear it with black leggings, the riding boots I'm getting for Christmas, my cream infinity scarf, and occasionally a topknot. It doesn't fit exactly how I had hoped, but it was $3, so I'm not complaining that much.

Well, and then there's this. On the hanger it looks like something out of an 80's movie, and you're probably laughing at me for buying this. So here's what happened. I found myself in the blazer section, and was drawn to the bright cobalt hue of this one. I picked it up, saw the double-breasted, tapered waist style I have been searching for in every store I've walked into for the past three years and was instantly captured. I threw my Longchamp down on the floor (ew, who am I becoming?) and put the blazer on over my cardigan (poor choice.). "IT FITS." I thought to myself. "The moment I have been waiting for forever is finally here! I've found the coveted, classic, prized addition to my wardrobe, AT A THRIFT STORE OMG." It fit around the waist (thanks to cardigan bulk), had the most perfect 3/4 length sleeves (more cardigan bulk), and hit at just the right length so it looked a little oversized, but not too big (this is actually still true). Without consulting a mirror, I placed the "perfect" blazer back on the hanger and in my disillusioned state, bought the thing. Then I got home. I tried it on with a solid tee, and realized my mistake. Too big around the waist, awkwardly long sleeves, stains (vom), and heinus shoulder pads. But, I have decided to be optimistic and resourceful. I feel that if I cinch it with a belt, roll up the sleeves, and cut out the shoulder pads, I can make it work. I plan to wear it with a solid white tee, black jeans/cords or magenta jeans, leopard loafers, and gold studs. If it doesn't work out, I'll be a little upset, but for $4 it's definitely worth a shot.

My favorite part about this picture? My Barbie pink nail polish. It's my new fave.

I also got this belt. I don't really like it as much as I thought I did, but I've been wanting/needing a skinny belt for a while now, so I'm sure it will come in handy soon. For $2, I can wear it once and get my money's worth.

Honestly, my feelings haven't really changed about thrift store shopping. Still a little gross, still frustrated that I can't try it on, and still smells bad. But less than $10 for all three? It's worth a try!
Now if you'll excuse me, I have an Aggie game and two brand new magazines to get back to. Until next time!

Kristen Learns to Cook- Part 1

Hey Cats!

Since you last heard from me, I have moved into a new house, gone back home once, witnessed the Aggies lose their first SEC game (can't even talk about it), and attended 3 &1/2 weeks of school. During this time, I have been perfecting my cooking & other domestic skills like cleaning and entertaining. But mostly cooking. That was one reason I was so excited to move out of the dorm and into anywhere with a kitchen. I absolutely love being able to make whatever I want for dinner, and not being forced to eat either a Lean Cuisine or junk food from the places on campus. Throughout the past month, I've also discovered that I love to cook dinner. It's fun to come up with new ideas & try out new things. So, I have decided to blog about my adventures as I learn to become a gourmet chef. Although I started this process a few weeks ago, I still have a long way to go (I burn something at least once a week) and I'd love to share my kitchen endeavors with you! I typically cook small portions, usually just myself, and I use what I have in my pantry (which isn't a lot), unless I'm dying for something different. So, without further ado, here's what I'm having for dinner tonight!

Salsa Chicken
I half made this recipe up and half got it off the internet. It's been about a week and a half since I've been to the grocery store, so I have very little to work with. I also bought a jar of salsa for the 1/4 bag of tortilla chips I had left over, and the chips are gone but the salsa is still here. I also didn't have taco seasoning, so I had to get creative. I'm eating it as I type this, so I know it's delicious!
Here's what you'll need:
1 or 2 small boneless, skinless chicken tenders, thawed. (I bought a huge bag of individually frozen tenders. They're smaller than chicken breasts, and they will last you literally forever. This is a staple in my fridge.)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Chili Powder
At least 1/2 jar of salsa (I used Joe T's because that's my fave.)
Shredded cheese

Here's what you do:
1. Preheat your oven to 350
2. Lay the chicken in a small baking dish, and sprinkle seasonings on both sides.
3. Spoon salsa (however much you want) on top of the chicken.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Be sure to cut into it & make sure it's cooked, I've heard food-borne illnesses are quite unpleasant.
5. Sprinkle a little cheese on top & pop it back into the oven for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.
6. DINNER.

I paired mine with a little rice & corn for a balanced meal. I keep bags of frozen vegetables like corn & green peas on hand & throw a little into a bowl with a splash of water into the microwave for about 3-5 minutes. That's probably not the best way, but it's better than not eating vegetables, and I don't have to clean an extra pot.

 



So there it is! It was super delicious if I do say so myself. Hopefully I'll go to the grocery store soon & come up with some new ideas! Until next time!

DIY- Ribbon Board Re-Do

Hey Cats!

In 21 days, I will be moving back to the Promised Land, into a house with three other girls. And I am SO EXCITED. Since I'm transitioning from the dorm to a real house, I've changed things up a little bit, including the color scheme of my room. You may remember that I went with a beach theme in the dorm, light blues, greens, coral, etc. This time around, I've decided to go with light blue, gray, and dark purple. I've been able to keep a lot of my blue stuff, like my bedspread, pictures, lamps, and pillows. I've also decided to re-do a couple of things I already had. I didn't want to part with some of it, and I still needed some, so instead of spending lots of money on buying new things, I spent a little money on updating them! One of the things I had that I absolutely loved and did not want to get rid of was a memory board my aunt made for me. I love pictures, so I obviously can't do without one of these. The only problem was that it was lime green, which totally doesn't match my room anymore. So I got some new fabric & ribbon, and an hour or so later, I had an updated version of one of my dorm room faves!

This is what I started with. Isn't it cutie? Sadly, not with purple and blue.

Here's what you will need:
-1 memory board (Mine is made out of one of those posterboards with the foam and a thin layer of cotton quilt batting. If you have one you bought from somewhere, you could still try this, but it will probably be more difficult to take apart, but I have faith in you. Just don't injure yourself. OR if you want to make one, just get one of the posterboards mentioned above & some quilt batting!)
- Enough fabric to cover the front of the board. I used 1/2 of a yard, and have plenty left over to make pillows with!
-Ribbon. I just used one spool, but I probably should have used two.
-Brads, furniture tacks, or buttons. I used some really cute brads from the scrapbooking section in Hobby Lobby.

I hadn't bought the brads yet. Sorry. Also, that's my favorite nail polish.

Here's what you do:

1. First, remove all the buttons or tacks from the board. Mine were buttons, so it was fairly easy to just cut them off, but if yours has tacks, it might be a little harder.
2. Second, using a staple-puller, flat screwdriver (what I used), scissors, or your fingernails (which I wouldn't reccommend, then they'll look like crap), remove the ribbon. Make sure you don't accidentally remove the staples that are holding down the fabric, just the ribbon!

3. Next, measure and cut the fabric. I did this by laying the fabric print-side down on the floor and laying the board fabric-side down on top of it. Then I cut it, leaving enough fabric on each side to overlap & staple down on the back. Also, make sure you iron your fabric before you staple it, because wrinkles are ugly, and that it's pulled really tight, because it will also be ugly if it's loose.

Before I cut it, obviously. I used the existing fabric as a guide for how much fabric to overlap.

4. Now you're ready to staple! Make sure that the fabric is tight, and if it has a pattern that the pattern is straight. I folded the edge of mine twice and then stapled it. I used just a regular stapler, because I wasn't sure if heavy duty staples would have gone through the front. This part takes the longest, but it's not hard! Just make sure that every staple gets in there like it's supposed to, or else it won't hold together very well. Keep going all the way around! I would suggest using extra staples on the corners, since you'll probably have more fabric there.


This is the double fold, before I started stapling. Make sure it extends a little further than the original fabric.

Here's what the back looks like finished!

And here's the front!

5. Ribbon time! Take the end of your ribbon and staple it on the back of the board, diagonally through the center of the point on the corner.

It's not very pretty, but you get the idea.



6. Next, stretch the ribbon diagonally across the board, making sure it's tight and straight. Staple the end to the back side of the opposite corner from which you started.

Be sure to pull it really tight, or your pictures will fall out!

7. Do the same thing on the opposite corners.

I'm running out of things to say for photo captions...

8. Continue adding ribbon to make more small diamonds. I measured the distance from the middle to make sure I spaced them evenly.

I probably could have used more ribbon, but this will be fine, too!

9. Now it's time for the brads/buttons/whatever. Like I said, I used brads from the scrapbooking section, but if you want to use buttons or something more sturdy, that would probably be wise.

10. Poke a hole where you want the brad to go, usually in the middle of where the two ribbons cross. My brads didn't go all the way through all the layers, so I used a nail and my brute strength to push it through.

If you're using buttons, skip this step & just sew it on. Good luck with that.

11. Take your hole-poking tool out and replace it with the brad. Secure it on the back by folding the prongs down.



It's a rose!



12. Repeat for each ribbon intersection! I used a different brad for each one, and it turned out super cutie!


So there it is! This was super easy and inexpensive, and I can't wait to put it up in my room and fill it with pictures! I have a few more DIY's coming soon, and hopefully I'll be able to do another recipe before I leave for school! Until next time! 



DIY- Tacky Tourist Tee Redo

Hey Cats!
 So, as you know, I recently went on a trip to New York, and I'm ready to pack my bags and go right now. I'm not one to buy souvenirs on trips, or at least souvenirs that have anything to do with where I am. I usually just go shopping and whenever I wear something, I'm like, "Oh, I remember when I bought this in D.C." and that brings back great memories. In my opinion, it's a waste of money to buy crap like a statue of the Empire State Building that I'll just sit somewhere and let collect dust. (Or I'll break it. That happens a lot.) It's much more practical to buy something you'll wear a lot, and it's still a great reminder of the fun time you had on your trip. At least that's how I justify it. (Also, I think coffee mugs are a nice practical souvenir. You always need those!). In addition to my rampant spending spree in Chinatown, (I literally threw nearly $100 at pushy Asian people in less than ten minutes. It was INTENSE) I bought one of the classic American tourist pieces. Yes, that's right. I bought an "I <3 NY tee. We all did, because we were going to pull an Ultimate Tourist Move and wear them all to the airport when we left. Also, I'm not going to lie, I've secretly wanted one all of my life. So I bought it. They're like, $3 at every single gift shop in the Big Apple, so it wasn't like I was squandering a chunk of money on a splatter-painted "I <3 DC" sweatshirt. (Yes, I did that one time. I don't want to talk about it. I wear it indoors and on snow days under a big jacket only). However, once I got home, I had to be real with myself. I was never going to wear that shirt again. So, not wanting to waste my $3, or one of my only true souvenirs, I decided to give it a little update. T-shirt DIY's are all over Pinterest, so I found one I liked, grabbed my scissors, and ended up with this little gem:

Since I didn't take pictures during the process, and because I don't want to write out all the instructions, I'll just direct you to the link I used.
http://blogilates.com/printables-2/diy-racerback-workout-shirt-tutorial
I followed the directions for the most part, except for the hi-low hem, because it was already kind of short. It's not perfect, but like I always say, it adds character and makes it unique. It's a great pool shirt and workout shirt, if you work out. I don't. But if I ever do, maybe I'll wear this. Anyways, it's a great option for making a tourist tee a little less tacky, or for an awkwardly-fitting shirt you don't want to throw away. Also, just a tip: One of the girls told us when we purchased the shirts not to dry it in the dryer, because the letters would melt off. I would heed this advice, because I washed mine & hung it to dry, and the letters are already wrinkly and kind of merrr looking. Anyways, I hope you'll try this with a tourist tee, or any other tee you may have lying around! I'm working on multiple crafts for my new house, and I'm excited to finish them and share them with you! Also, I have a special suprise project I'm working on, but I can't tell you about that for a while. I might not actually finish it.... But anyways, until next time!

Princess Pink Cookies

Hey Cats!

I know that I said my next blog post would be about my day in NYC, but I haven't wanted to do that yet. Also, since I plan on becoming the next Martha Stewart, I decided blogging about food would be a step in the right direction. But I really am going to post about it soon, before I forget! Before we get to the star of the show, let me tell you a little bit about my summer. I've been taking my math class, so that's what I do in the mornings, and study a little at night. It's actually my most sucessful attempt at a math class in my entire life, so I'm pleased with that. I also have like, 5 other craft projects I'm working on, and I'll be excited to share those when (if) I finish them! I also have been searching all over town for a paperback copy of Mockingjay. I read the first two Hunger Games books in less than a week, and I'm absolutely DYING to read the third. I found one today at WalMart, but in the checkout line, I realized it was large print, so I put it back. I have a thing about large print books. They just bother me & my eyes kind of freak out. Also, I feel like I'm reading a "chapter book" I would have read in like, the second grade. You know what I mean. Books like Junie B. Jones, The Magic Treehouse series, and whatever else you read as a child all have that like, 20 point font. That's what large print reminds me of, and since I am no child, I can't stand it. So, the search continues. I started reading Jane Eyre, but I've only gotten through three chapters, and while I love the Bronte sisters and their literary masterpieces, I'd honestly rather just find out what happens between Katniss and Peeta. #sorryimnotsorry. Also, I got a new planner today on my weekly trip to Target. It's honestly kind of sad how excited I got about it. It matches the cover I have from last year, and it has a beautiful pattern on the pages. Oh yeah, this is supposed to be about cookies. Whoops.

These are seriously the easiest cookies you will ever make in your entire life. I made them in New York, and they were wonderful, so when I saw pink lemonade cake mix at WalMart today, I was overjoyed and purchased a box. Now, I've made cake mix cookies before, but apparently not many people have heard of them, so I'm trying to spread the word. Also, these are pink, which makes them ten times better, because I feel like princesses would only eat pink cookies. The lemonade flavor is really different than what you'd have every day, and it's great for summer! Anyways, here's what you'll need:
-1 box Pink Lemonade Cake Mix (I used Pillsbury, you can use whatever...if anyone else makes that kind)
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup vegetable oil

The beginnings of cookies fit for a princess. Or a 5-year old.

Here's what you do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350.

2. Mix together the cake mix, oil, and eggs, until you get a little pink bundle of joy like you see below. You might think that you need to add a little more liquid, but if you keep mixing, it'll be okay. I had a few lumps of mix left in mine, but I just said YOLO and continued on with my life. (not really, I hate that phrase. But I did leave them and it was fine.)

The dough reminds me of edible play-dough I made in my childhood. But it was peanut butter. But still awesome.

3. Next, spray your baking sheet with some pan. The dough is really oily, so it's probably not 100% necessary, but I like to be on the safe side.

4. Next, I rolled the dough into little balls and placed them on my cookie sheet. You could totally do rounded teaspoonfuls if that's your thing, but I like uniformity in my baking, so I chose to roll them.

My vain attempt at an artistic camera angle. I think I'll just stay on the other side of the camera. lawlz.

5. Bake for 12.5 minutes. This is very exact, and I'm kind of proud of that, since I was winging this one. You can tell when they're browning on the edges, and that's when they're done. But, if you take them out and they still aren't firm after a few minutes, I'd put them back in for like, 2 minutes. 12.5 should do the trick, but if you don't believe me, experiment at your own risk.

I love how they're crackly on top.

6. Eat them. (Not all of them, I don't promote obesity.)

Plate of Pink.

See how easy that was?? Just six steps, and the last one was unnecessary! Apparently you can make these with any cake mix, so the possibilities are basically endless. Except I'm not sure how it would work out with an angel food mix...someone please try that and let me know. Rebecca, the precious girl from Georgia that we met in Long Island, told us that if you use a lemon cake mix and use a little less oil and add a little lemon and orange juice, they're divine! So I'll probs be trying that one soon. Anyways, the point is, you're only a box, two eggs, and half a cup of oil away from wonderful cookies. I hope you try this and love it as much as I do! And I promise I'll write about New York next time. In the meantime, hopefully I'll find Mockingjay and fun activities to write in my new planner. Until next time!

Kristen Takes New York- Part 2

Hey Cats!

So, I know that I said I was going to write the next part of my NYC story like, a week ago, but I was busy with things like math classes (merr merrrr), crafts, family reunions, obsessively cleaning my room (it's become a new thing for me), sleeping, and other things. Also, I just didn't really feel like it, or once I thought about it, it was too late & I was ready to go to sleep. And this is the third day I've been working on writing all this down. It seems my writing kicks don't last long enough to get everything out at once. Nevertheless, here it is. This part will be mostly about the mission part of the trip, which was the best part, and the real reason for the trip.

Day 1:
After we landed in Jersey, we rode for like, almost four hours to our destination, Crossroads Church in Farmingdale. It was actually a fun ride, we went through Brooklyn, past Coney Island, and probably some other cool things I don't really remember. Also, I got my first glimpse of the city, and from that moment on I was absolutely IN LOVE. Even from far away, I could tell it was so exciting and wonderful, but I'll expand on that when we talk about the city :). Once we reached the church, we went to our rooms, children's Sunday school classrooms with cots. It was really nice not to have to sleep on the floor, and they even had our beds made when we got there! Which brings me to the people at Crossroads. They were WONDERFUL. They were so accomodating and we got very close to each other. Their love for Jesus was very apparent in everything they did, many of them had moved all the way from Texas to Long Island to be a part of what God is doing in Long Island. It was awesome to see such obedience to the Lord, and I pray that I will be able to be so trusting and obedient to whatever God is calling me to do. After we got settled, we ate dinner, and then I'm pretty sure I went to sleep soon after that, because my exhaustion was immense.

Day 2:
Our first full day in Long Island was Sunday, and also Mother's Day. We woke up pretty early to help get ready for church. Part of our group went to another church in Long Island, and I'm honestly not too sure what they did there. But I stayed with three other girls, and we worked in the nursery. I worked with my friend Morgan in the baby classroom, and it was so fun! We only had three kids, but they were adorable. One little boy was dressed better than some college boys I've seen, and he was absolutely precious. We attempted to make Mother's Day crafts with them, but they weren't very interested, so we kind of gave up on that, and played instead. After the church service, we had lunch and then headed to the beach! We didn't know we were going to get to do that, so it was a wonderful surprise! I can't remember what the beach was called, but it was absolutely gorgeous. The sand was super white, and the water was much cleaner than it is in the Gulf of Mexico! As pretty as it was, the water was FREEZING. Apparently, the middle of May isn't considered summer on the East Coast like it is here in Texas. But it also wasn't deathly hot sitting out on the sand either, so you could say it was perfect. I will definitely be going back! Anyways, after we took an obnoxious amount of sorority pictures, we took a stroll along the beach. It was great, until we ran into the nude beach and had to turn around. No, I'm not kidding. It was absolutely disgusting, and frankly, I don't want to talk about it. We hung out for a while, just sprawled out on towels, talking and watching the New Yorkers. It was a great afternoon. After we were sufficiently sandy, we piled back into our van and made our way back into town. However, on our way back, we stopped by a property the church was considering buying. It was an old church that was bigger than the one they are currently in, and a house for the pastor and his family to live in. The pastor told us that they would really like to get the property, because it was in a great location, and they would be able to expand. We all prayed over the property, that God would provide it if it was His Will, which was an awesome experience. Later that week, we found out that they were able to purchase the building. It was so incredible to see God working to expand Crossroads in such a huge way in the small time that we were there. I'm not really sure when the church will move into the facility, but I know they are so excited about the things God will do in the new location, and I am too! After that, we went to the two-story Wal-Mart that was in a mall, because people forgot things, me being one of those people. Naturally. Most of the girls were amazed that it was two-story, I was baffled that it was connected to a mall. I guess you can get your clothes & groceries at the same time...Efficient. After that, we went back to the church, stuffed bags to pass out, and soon went to sleep.

Day 3:
This was our first "working day" on the trip. Half of us woke up super early to go pass out bags at the train station. I don't really know what time it was, but the sun was up, which isn't saying much, because the sun is like, blazing by 5 a.m. there, and it threw me for a HUGE loop. Anyways, the bags had a granola bar, a bottle of water, a couple of pieces of candy, and a flyer about a baseball camp the church puts on every year. The baseball camp is what Crossroads uses to reach the Farmingdale community. The pastor explained that through the camp, they are able to build relationships with people in the community and bring the Gospel to them. He told us that the "need" in New York is not physical, but spiritual. Most people have everything they need and more, but are desperately in need of love, and that is the mission of Crossroads, to spread the news about the love of God. On the other side of the flyer was information about Faith & Family Night with the New York Mets. The pastor told us that for the first time ever, the Mets have decided to have a Faith and Family night, a baseball game with a Mercy Me concert afterwards, and they asked Crossroads to partner with them. He explained that while these are common in the South, they are extremely rare in New York, so it was a big deal that the church was able to be apart of it. So, back to passing out the bags. It was very intimidating at first, to be honest. The pastor just let us out of the van and we were left to pass out all the bags, alone in a strange place at 6 a.m. We went up to the platform, and started asking people if they "would like a snack to take to work today". A lot of people said no, and a few asked us how much it cost. I was afraid that people would be rude, since that's supposedly the norm in NY, but I learned that if you are nice and friendly to them, they will be nice back. It only took us about fifteen minutes to pass out the bags, so we were back to the church by 6:30 or so, and I crawled back into my cot & slept for another hour. After my nap, we had breakfast & then set out to pass out baseball camp flyers in the neighborhoods around Crossroads. We were split into groups of 4, given a map, a general area to stay in, and stacks of flyers, and then let loose in Farmingdale. It was SO MUCH FUN. We just walked around and stuck the flyers in people's doorknobs for like, four hours. I got to be really good friends with the girls in my group, just by walking around and talking. After lunch, we got a little tired, and sat down on the sidewalk, which apparently isn't normal, because we got some strange looks. That night, a few of us went to help a lady who goes to Crossroads. She hurt her back and couldn't clean her house, so we made beds, did the dishes, vaccuumed, and cleaned up the kitchen. When we got back, we all watched the premiere of The Bachelorette (the beginning of my obsession...if she doesn't pick Sean, I WILL. #bye). And it was a wonderful evening. We then went to sleep, for the next day was.......our trip TO THE CITY!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to tell you allllllllll about it!
(But not now, I'm tired, and I have to get up at 7:30 to go learn about logarithms and calculating interest and who knows what else.) These two days really showed me that God can use things like baseball and snack bags for His Kingdom & to draw people to Him. God is doing absolutely amazing and HUGE things in New York, and I am so blessed to have been able to be involved in His work.

Little Lambs on the beach!

Next time I'll talk about my adventures in the city and how I'm absolutely OBSESSED. Until next time!

Kristen Takes New York- Part 1

Hey Cats!
So, it's been a while since I've had time to blog, so that's why I'm writing about my trip to New York almost a month later. Well, technically I've had time, but I've been doing other things, like crocheting yet another blanket for my house, planning how I'm going to decorate my room on Pinterest, finally cleaning out my closet, stocking my Single Girl Closet, living downstairs for a week because the air conditioner is broken, taking summer classes, and READING THE HUNGER GAMES OMG. I'm obsessed. I finished the first two in like, 4 days, and I'm DYING to read the third one. So once I find it, all hopes of any new crafts are diminished. Sorry I'm not sorry. Anyways, I also was debating on writing a sentimental post about all I've learned through my first year of college before I wrote about NYC, but I obviously never got around to that, so I just decided to tell y'all about my wonderful trip to the Big Apple & save my nuggets of wisdom for another day. ;) Since I can already tell this is going to be super long, I'm going to post it in sections...mainly because I probably won't want to write it all out at once. So here's the first part!

The Reason:
I didn't go to New York for a fun vacation with my friends and/or family, even though I had a total blast and a half. I went with my sorority on a mission trip to help Crossroads Church of Long Island, a small, newer church that was planted from a church in The Woodlands, Texas. There were fourteen of us in all, thirteen girls and Mama Brenda, so needless to say, it was always exciting! I signed up for the trip without knowing who was going, and as the trip grew closer, I realized I was only actually friends with one girl, and had honestly never even met most of the others. However, I became very close with all of the girls really quickly, and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to expand my circle of friends.

The Trip:
Since we had to fly out of Houston at 12, we met in College Station at 6:15 that morning for the 2 hour drive. I had moved out of my dorm and back home four days before, and since it's a three hour drive to College Station from Tyler, I stayed with one of the girls going on the trip. We rolled out of bed, through McDonald's for breakfast, and into the mall parking lot right on time. I slept the entire car ride to Houston, so I honestly don't remember much about that. Once at the airport, we had to meet some of the girls who were meeting us there, and then go through security. Once we were all through with our liquids (less than 3 ounces, of course) in quart baggies and electronic devices turned off and all had our shoes back on, (security is such a pain, if you catch my drift) we naturally headed for Starbucks and then the terminal. Since we were such a large group, we were among the last to board, and caused an all-out ruckus by trying to fit fourteen fairly large carry-ons into the overhead compartments. Once we had that taken care of, we found our seats, watched the safety video, and prepared for takeoff. Now, there's something you must understand before I continue with my story: The Moss Family Does Not Fly. Ever. We're roadtrip people. The only other time I'd ever been on an airplane before this was on my class trip to Washington D.C. my junior year of high school. So as the plane started to make its way to the runway, I started to feel a little nervous and sicky. Luckily I was sitting next to one of my Phi Lamb sisters rather than a perfect stranger, but we had met only a few hours before, so I didn't want to be like, "OMGGGGGG I'm sooooooo nervousmerrmerrrrrrr" and freak her out. So, I calmly stated, "Just so you know, I'm a bit of a nervous flyer...", and she was very nice and told me it would be fine. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with take-off. Love because you ascend into the air at a diagonal in a giant chunk of metal while being perfectly safe (it's at this point I typically ruminate over how wonderful technology is and how amazing it is that people can actually do this) and you get to see the clouds outside your window, the land beneath you getting smaller, and it means you're truly on the way to your destination. Hate because YOU ASCEND INTO THE AIR AT A DIAGONAL IN A GIANT CHUNK OF METAL.THIS IS NOT NATURAL. (it's at this point I think of what could go horribly wrong and how if God had meant for people to be in the air, He would have equipped us with wings.) And also because my ears pop. I just really don't like that. Anyways, we make it to our proper altitude, I obtain a ginger ale from the flight attendants, and I watch The Vow on the little tv in front of me. (Which, by the way, is the only Nicholas Sparks movie I don't find incredibly stupid and unrealistic.) And everything goes smoothly. UNTIL THE LANDING. I don't know what happened, but as we descend into New Jersey, turbulence makes a grand entrance and monopolizes the rest of the ride. I shouldn't have been looking out the window, but I was, and that just made me feel more sicky. We were jostled every which way, and by the time we finally make it to the ground, I want to throw up and have a headache. But I'm also hungry. So, I get a Jamba Juice and we all go wait for the pastor from Crossroads to pick us up. And yes, I know what you're thinking: I'm in Jersey, so naturally, I kept my eyes open for my favorite Housewives, but I never saw them.

Morgan & I after landing in Newark!

I think that's all I'm going to write for tonight, but tomorrow I'll post about our first two days in Long Island!
 That's all for right meow :)

Brownie Buttons- Recipe

Hey Cats!

Since I'm home for Spring Break this week, I actually have time to blog! I was planning on crafting as well, but then I went to Barnes & Noble & bought myself a couple of books, so crafts aren't really happening this week. Between the chapters of my British literature & hanging out with my family however, I whipped up some delicious cookies! I wanted to bake something, and we had a brownie mix, so I decided to get creative! Actually, I just Googled, but whatever. I've found you can find a recipe for basically everything if you google it. Anyways, I wanted to make cookies out of a brownie mix, so I typed in "brownie mix cookies" on the world's most convienient website, and took the first recipe I came across. (I'm going to write out the recipe, but here's the link, just to give credit where credit is due: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1710,148185-235195,00.html ).
Here's what you'll need!
1 box of brownie mix (I used Pillsbury)
1/4 cup of flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. water (I used a little less)
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/2 cup of chocolate chips & 1/2 cup of Heath Bar bits)

Here's what you do!
1. Mix everything together, except the chocolate chips, by hand.
2. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Drop by VERY VERY SMALL spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes!

The reason I suggest making them very small is because
1. The batter goes further. More cookies = more reasons to smile
2. This batter spreads like none other once it's in the oven. If they're too big to begin with, all the cookies will run together & make fat, ugly cookies, which is a personal peeve of mine.
3. Smaller cookies are much easier to remove from the pan. These are very fragile too, so the smaller you make them, the easier your life will be.

Also, I HIGHLY advise using Pam on the cookie sheet between each batch. For real, spray that stuff on thick. Scraping burnt-on crap off a cookie sheet is not what you want to be doing when you have a Jane Austen novel waiting for you. Or ever, really.

Here's what my first batch looked like (Please don't laugh...I learned from my mistakes.) :

This is why you make them small, or else they turn out looking like cow patties. By the way, I considered naming these creations "Cow Patty Cookies" for about .032 seconds, but then I decided that was disgusting. I may be from East Texas, but that's just too much. I hope I didn't ruin this for anyone by saying that....
Here's what they looked like once I finally figured everything out!

Much better! They're quite delicious, if I do say so myself. They're kind of chewy, and they taste pretty much the same as a brownie, they're just in cookie form. Well, I go back to school on Sunday (I can't wait for that, by the way), so it might be a while before I blog again. Maybe next time I'll give a literary analysis of Emma, if I have it finished by then. I would like to state that at this point, I think Emma is a bit of a brat & if I were Harriet, I would be royally cheesed off at her. But Harriet's stupid. I'll save this for another day ;) Until next time!

Overabundance

Hey Cats!

So, it's been a few weeks since I've had time to blog...this semester is proving to be super busy & a little harder than I thought! I haven't even had time to get on Pinterest, which is pretty much a Class 3 tragedy. But this weekend, I've found myself with lots of time on my hands! I don't have a DIY this time, just a little something I've been thinking about lately :).
 Since I've been going nonstop during the week this semester, I usually just want to do nothing on the weekends. But sometimes I forget to make plans & then I end up with nothing to do except homework, which is super lame. This happened this weekend. Again. So my parents came down tonight & took me to dinner and the grocery store. It was great to see them, even if it was just for a couple of hours. As I was getting ready for dinner, I had some troubles deciding what to wear. I ended up with an overabundance of clothing piled on my bed:

I honestly have no idea why it was so difficult to pick out an outfit. I mean, I was just going to see my parents. Not that they're not important, it's just that as long as I'm decent, they typically don't care what I wear. It was just one of those days where nothing that I put on looked how I wanted, and everything was uncomfortable. I finally just made myself keep something on. Then, when I came back, I had a big fat mess to clean up. It was super fun.
Also, we now have an overabundance of citrus fruits in the 434:

My mom brought me grapefruits from home (they're my faves), and then I bought some clementines when my parents took me to the grocery store. I'd been wanting some clementines, but I knew I couldn't eat them all by myself, so I asked my roommate if she'd eat some if I bought them. She will be pleasantly surprised when she returns tomorrow afternoon. We've got our work cut out for us, and no reason to not get our daily serving of fruits.
Also, I have an overabundance of tea, which is wierd, because I really don't like it all that much:

I bought one of the boxes of green tea when I was sicky last semester, and the lemon zinger during the long hard winter. Tonight, my mom bought the other box of green tea to take back home, but she left it in my room. So, I now have 3 boxes of hot tea. I'm probably going to have a tea party soon, because there is no way I will ever drink it all. Even though I had two cups of green tea today... But still. There's. SO. Much. Tea.
Tonight as I was noticing all these things I possess in bulk, I realized something. I have been blessed with so much. There are so many people who would love to have parents to come take them to dinner, or to have parents at all. There are millions of people who would love to have more than one set of clothes. There are people who would not look at a bag of clementines as a challenge, but as a necessary source of food, and people who would be thrilled to have a cup of tea to keep them warm. I'm not trying to make anyone feel guilty, but sometimes it's good to have some perspective. And I'm talking to myself more than anyone. But, there's something that we all have in overabundance, no matter who we are, what we've done, where we're living, or what we have. God's love for us is more than we can ever imagine. Even if you feel lonely, He is always there & loves you more than any human being ever could. God has been showing me lately that when I feel like I'm all by myself, I'm really not, and that his love for me is truly amazing and unlike anything else. I have the best friend anyone could ever ask for with me at all times. He'll never get mad at me for something I do, he'll never forget to call me back, he'll never decide he's tired of being around me. And the best part is, he loved me, you, and everyone else so much, that he died so we could be in heaven with him for eternity, if we confess with our mouths & believe with our hearts. Wow. That kind of love, my friends, is not only the thing we all possess in overabundance, but the only thing we'll ever need.
 "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." -Ephesians 3:17-18.

I know this post is different from what I typically post, but I felt like this was something I needed to share. :) Until next time!

DIY- Links and Leather Bracelet

Hey Cats!

I am so happy to have finally finished this project! I bought all the materials back home before I came back to school, and I finally got around to finishing it this afternoon! My original plan was to follow the exact directions from studs and pearls for the Lanyard Double Chain Bracelet (http://www.studs-and-pearls.com/2011/09/diy-lanyard-double-chain-bracelet.html), but sadly, I purchased the wrong kind of chain, so I tried, but my efforts failed. However, I might try to make it again, this time with the correct type of chain! Nevertheless, I like what I came up with, and it still has the same idea of the studs and pearls bracelet.

Here's what you'll need:

- Enough chain to go around your wrist twice (I bought mine the length that you see above, and didn't cut it, so if you're going to cut yours... I have no tips on how to help you. Godspeed.)

- Jump rings (I bought a package of like, 100 & used 5)

- Lobster clasps (you'll only need one, but I bought a 4-pack for future use, it's cheaper that way)

- Leather cord (You can buy the huge spool if you'd like, but that's about $15, and mine was around $4, and I still have plenty left over)

- Needlenose pliers (I think people who aren't from East Texas know these as jewelry pliers. I didn't have any, so I improvised...with a wrench. It was painful.)

And Here's what you do! :

1. First, cut a piece of leather cord, about 55-60 inches. I cut mine 60 inches when I was attempting to make the first bracelet, and so I just kept it. But I cut off around 5-7 inches when I was done, so it was a little long.

2. Locate the center link of the chain. This can be easily done by folding the chain in half, matching the two ends up, & see which link is the middle. Thread the leather cord through the center link, making sure both tails of the cord are even.

Also, to make sure you don't lose the center link (this will matter more once you start threading the cord on both sides), tie a small piece of ribbon around the center link. Or you could go ahead and put a jump ring on.

3. Begin threading the leather cord through each link of the chain. Make sure you don't pull too tight or the chain will get all caddywompus, and we can't have that, now can we?? But seriously, make sure the chain stays somewhat flat, and be careful not to twist the leather. 

4. Continue threading the leather through the chain until you reach the end of that half of the bracelet. This is what you should have:

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other side of the chain.
6. Once you finish threading the cord, you'll need to tie off the leather. Before you cut it, bring the end of the cord back through the last link of chain, towards you. You should then have a loop of leather cord at the top of the link. Bring the end of the cord up through that loop, away from you. After you pull tight, you should have a small knot.Just cut the excess cord off and it should be sturdy! (I understand that these instructions are a little difficult to understand, but I have full confidence that if you've gotten this far, you must have some level of intelligence and will be able to figure something out. Use your problem-solving skills.)
7. On the center link (the one you tied the ribbon to), attach two jump rings. The easiest way to do this is to open just one, using the pliers. Or you can pry it open with your fingers like I did, but my broken fingernails and still-hurting fingers strongly urge against it. Next, slip the ring onto the center link, but don't close it yet! Take a second closed ring and slip it onto the open ring. Then, again using the pliers, squeeze the first ring closed, making sure it is closed tightly so it doesn't break.

8. Next, on the end with the two leather knots, attach a jump ring to both of the end links on each side, and then connect them to each other

9. Then, open a new jump ring and slip it onto one of the two jump rings attaching the loose ends. Place a lobster clasp on the open ring, and then close it with the pliers, making sure it's closed tightly!

And you're done! Here's what it looks like!

I'm super excited to wear this! I hope you will try this, and give it your own little spin! You could use different colored leather cord or chain, or you could use lanyard or even strips of fabric. I chose the black and gold just because it's versatile and classic, but I will probably make another one that's a little more trendy! I don't really know what my next project will be, and I'll probably just post a blog post without a craft next, because school/life is about to start getting a little cray. So if you don't hear from me, I was most likely taken captive by Psych 107 and Comm 243, so please come find me. Until next time!

Smoothies & String Cheese

Hey Cats!

So, it's Thursday night. You know, most college kids go out on Thursday nights, and I usually like to do that too, but tonight....well, I don't really want to talk about why I'm sitting in my dorm with nothing better to do than blog about random things. ANYWAYS, here I am, listening to Phil Wickham Pandora & eating string cheese & drinking a smoothie for my dinner. Healthy, right? You know, it's really hard to find good things to eat when you live in a dorm and your only appliance is a microwave. Although I've only lived in the dorm for a semester and a week, I like to think that I've gotten pretty creative with my food choices. For example, the smoothie I'm currently drinking. If allowed, you should get a small blender for your dorm. Mine is a single-serving "power blender" (whatever that means) & its the Cooks brand from JCPenney. It was on sale for like, $30 during the summer, so I bought it for my room, & it's come in handy when I want something different! For my smoothies, I buy the frozen packages that have yogurt chunks (which is super weird when you think about it) and fruit, and just add apple juice! It's a lot more convienient than keeping fresh fruit, and since I don't make smoothies super often, it's good because it doesn't ruin, like fresh fruit would. Another idea is Lean Cuisines. Duh. I just thought I'd add that, since they are kind of a staple in my diet. Also, I like Laughing Cow cheese wedges with the mini saltine crackers. I'll eat that & some fruit for lunch occasionally. Another useful tool is an apple wedger/slicer/corer? (not sure of the technical name.). I've always wanted one & I told my mom that I'd eat fruit in college if she got me one... hehe. But really, it's very nice to have. I like to eat apples with peanut butter for a snack, it's healthy and very filling! Another thing I like is 100 calorie packs of popcorn. Quick and delicious. Enough said. Actually, 100 calorie packs of anything are quite wonderful. I feel better about my snacking if it's already a controlled portion. For breakfast, I like oatmeal, even though its a pain to clean out the bowl. Other ideas are granola bars, hummus and Wheat Thins, soup, Nutella (not exactly healthy, but quite delicious), cherry tomatoes, almonds, tea, coffee, carrots & ranch, and water. Oh, I suggest a filtered pitcher rather than buying bottles of water. Not only is it cheaper in the long run, but you don't have to carry heavy bottles up the stairs to your room! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this super random post about things you probably already know. But if it was of assistance to any of you, then I've done my job. Well, I'm going to go read my Political Science book, but I am working on a new DIY that will hopefully be posted soon! I tried to follow instructions from another blog. but I bought the wrong stuff, so I'm just going to make something up. Until next time!

Pinterest Project- Star Blanket

Hey Cats!

So, as you all know, next August I will be moving into a house with my 5 besties. I know it's kinda far away, but that gives me plenty of time to craft! My froomie Amy & I already have big plans for the place. We'll be covered in handmade items by the time we actually move in! Anyways, over Christmas break, I made an afghan for the house. We haven't decided on colors or anything yet, but it has pretty much every single color in it, so it should match whatever! If not, we can just hide it in a closet & take it out when we get cold! I found this pattern on Pinterest, so instead of giving you instructions, I'll just include the link! This blanket was perfect, because I was able to use lots of leftover yarn that I already had, so I only had to buy 4 skeins, which is pretty good for a blanket! Also, it says to change yarn every few rows, but I decided to just keep going until I ran out of yarn, or thought that I couldn't make it another round. It would also be cool to do the whole thing in the same variegated yarn, or even in one solid color. Use your imagination! Anyways, here is the link! http://www.purplekittyyarns.com/crochet-afghan-patterns/7-point-star-throw
And here's what mine looks like!

Also, to finish it, I just did the round of slip stitches, I didn't do the thing with the tapestry needle....mainly because I didn't know how :). I hope you will try this & make it your own! It's one of the easier blankets I've made, & I like it because it's different!
On a different note, I will be leaving to go back to school tomorrow morning! I'm so excited to start my second semester, and to see all my friends! That being said, I probably won't be blogging as much anymore..mehhh. BUT! I have purchased the materials for my next DIY, and so I'll probably put that up soon! And I promise I will have plenty of crafts over the summer! I might post occasionally, but it might not be crafts....we shall see! Until next time!