that was a bad idea

We got dumped on last night. Like over a foot of snow dumped on. I think heaven will be like that...knee deep in fresh snow. But no drivers. Especially foreign taxi drivers that spin their tires outside your building for what feels like hours. And then when you finally go out to help them, they yell at you that "they know how to drive!" and then they proceed to hit every. single. parked. car. on the street. Yeah, none of them in heaven, please.

Back to the point...there a few things in life that I like more than snow. Snow, snow, snow! So capturing the theme for this week, "happy," was going to be easy!

PRETTY SNOW!!!!

We took an afternoon stroll down to the Art Museum. When it snows real big here, people go sledding down the steps of the Art Museum. And get this...it's totally legal. Haha. I thought one would get in trouble for doing something like that, but I was informed a few weeks ago that that is far from the case. Let's just say I was blown away that something so scandalous was legal! (And to think I lost at "Never Have I Ever")

So...there were definitely people snowboarding there. And Ryan and I just had to stand back and watch. And then we were both real sad. And then, as we were began our sulky walk back home, the Red Bull truck there started playing MGMT's "Kids." Which, hello, is only the. best. song. to snowboard to. PLUS it is featured in the best snowboarding movie ever made. Ever. ("That's It, That's All." Dude. Duuuude. So good. Do yourself a favor and go watch this. Beautiful right? Told you so. And your welcome.)

So that totally bummed us out. And cast quite the gloomy shadow on the happiness that was fresh snow. Dang you Red Bull truck and your fantastic taste in music for the snowboarders. Dang you people snowboarding on the Art Museum steps [see you next snowfall]

Edward Morra? Bradley Cooper?

So Ryan and I have been "arguing" about "Edward Morra's Headqurters" which popped up downtown a few weeks ago. There's signs all over advocating Edward Morra "a new vision for New York." (A little bit of misguided foreshadowing: Headquarters in Philadelphia for a guy running for something in New York should have been our first clue)

As I looked at the posters more and more, this Edward Morra guy was starting to look really familiar.
"Hey," I say, "that guy's an actor!" We kept walking down the building of posters, and it was bugging me (oh, and in case you didn't know, I've become a walking version of IMDb in the past few months.) "No, really, what movie is this guy from? How do I know him?"

We continued our walk but it was eating at me, until it hit me, "Oh! He's the guy from 'He's Just Not That Into You'...the cheating, jerky one." Ryan was all, "Yeah, okay, whatever." I came home and looked up that guy's name but was sorely disappointed to find out that it wasn't Edward Morra, but rather Bradley Cooper. Regardless, I looked up some pictures of him to show the disbelieving Ryan.

 "See? Don't they look alike?" I say to Ryan. He goes, "Meh, I guess a little bit."

And every time we walked by the "Edward Morra Headquarters" in the past few weeks I had to be like, "Seriously. This guy and Bradley Cooper are like identical twins! I can't believe you don't see it!" And Ryan was adamant on his stance that they only look a little bit alike.

Well, today I googled Edward Morra. It's been really bothering me, and I just HAD to prove that these guys were somehow related. Turns out, there is a new movie being filmed in Philadelphia, where the main character, Eddie Morra, is played by none other than...that's right, you guessed it, Bradley Cooper.

Bahahaha. Ryan and I both feel pretty dumb.

Oh, and also Ryan has agreed to now believe me whenever I say people look alike. Because he NEVER agrees with me when I say that, but this very clearly proved that I know what I'm talking about.

Documentaries

I sit at home all day. And a lot of times, most of the day is filled with Netflix. Instantly streamed netflix was the. best. idea. ever.
For a while, I was watching a lot of documentaries. And since I am so nice, I made a short list of my top three documentaries. These three documentaries are ones that you must watch.  No three movies have ever made me cry more. I truly believe they are films that everyone should see. So get on it.

3. The Cove

This follows Ric Barry (the trainer for Flipper) as he tries to capture footage of the killing of thousands of dolphins, which occurs every year in Taiji, Japan. The movie was really moving. It was sad, but like I said in my post about Greenpeace...they ARE still animals, so even though I was moved, it wasn't enough to get me to send them a $100 check or anything. BUT, it was enough to get me to vow to never go to Sea World or swim with dolphins again.
The thing I liked most about this movie was Ric Barry. I loved that he was DOING SOMETHING. He saw injustice in the world, and he went to work. Way to go, Ric Barry.

2. Born into Brothels
This documentary follows several children who live in the red light district in Calcutta, India. A woman went there initially to photograph the lives of the women, but got sucked in by the adorable and unfortunate children living there. She gave them all cameras, film and photography lessons and let them capture their day-to-day lives.

This film was much harder to watch than "The Cove" because, these are children. People. And they have so little hope to do anything or go anywhere in life. At one point, one of the little girls says, "I keep thinking if I could go someplace and get an education, I wonder what I would become..."
It's truly heartbreaking. And so many people don't even know that there are children living their lives like this all over the world.

Yet at the same time, it is inspiring. Because the woman who helped them wasn't in anyway "qualified" to do so. Like she said in the trailer, "I'm not a social worker, I'm not a teacher..." and yet she was able to give those children exactly what they needed. Hope for a better future. Love.The impossible mission to help these children was made possible. God can use us in so many ways, all we need to do is to be willing.

And the number 1 documentary that you must watch....
1. War Dance
This film really hits home with me because it follows refugee camp children from the war-torn Northern Uganda. They are attempting to not only make it to, but to win the National Music Competition. Just like the others, it is hard to watch at points. But like one little boy says, "...if we don't tell you [our stories], you won't know."

It is the perfect example of taking something horrific and turning it into beauty. Of not losing heart. I love this movie. I have already seen it 3 times, and I'm sure I'll be watching it again soon. It is heart-wrenching, yet so so beautiful.
I love it.
I love it.
I love it.
And you must watch it.

you capture: circles

I haven't been doing You Capture lately. I'm not sure why. I guess I just wasn't inspired by the themes or my surroundings. This week's You Capture theme was "circles" and I knew I just had to participate this week. How fun is that? I thoroughly enjoyed capturing this week :)

#1 Coins in the coin jar

#2 A new fruit to try...a pomelo

#3 The pomelo after being peeled and de-pulped, which was quite the task!

#4 A few of my Grandpa's piano rolls

#5 Pretty new thread

#6 Ryan's birthday treat: chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with homemade vanilla ice cream [Why yes, as a matter of fact, I DO eat my weight in sugar every week.]

#7 Eyelets on Ryan's new shoes

things that make [slash would make] me happy

1.Sewing projects
I've just finished my 3rd sewing project! A silvery tunic. I absolutely love how it turned out!

Isn't that bow just the cutest? I love it.

My 1st project was a neuro kit roll-up for Ryan. Not to toot my own horn, but it turned out great as well.

My 2nd project was an apron. But I had to put it on hold because In order to finish it, I have to get a few inches of elastic for the tops of the pockets. So, it's just sitting on top of my fabric box for now.

2. My boots

 These are my favorite shoes. And to think I almost passed up those purple boots because I didn't want to spend any money (Thanks again, Mom!)

3. Recent vintage purchases
One of my favorite vintage stores in the city had an "exclusive, invitation only" sale last week. I only phrase it that way because that's what the sign on the door said. And maybe because it makes me sound a lot more important than I actually am. I was simply on their email list. But still, the sale rocked my face off because everything in the store was only $5!! The dresses in that store normally start at $40 and can get up to over $100. So...I was super excited.

I got an ivory corduroy men's suit vest (for me, not Ryan), a brick red/orange sweater vest, a plaid red/grey high waist skirt (all from 1970's), a few skinny ties for Ryan (1960's) and a blue/purple paisley dress which screams 1980's. I'm not exactly sure how I'm gonna wear that one yet. Cause I have to be sure I'm not channeling something like this:

Yikes.

4. This area of our apartment

 I love our living room here. I especially love our fireplace area. I love those tin canister/jugs that my mom loaned to me for a while, our hand carved wood figurine made by my sister's boyfriend as a wedding gift, our silvery "S", my grandpa's frame sheet music, pictures of our siblings, the awesome original artwork we received as a wedding gift from some friends...I just love how it all comes together. And how it looks with our furniture and re-done thrifted coffee table. Our living room is just awesome, what can I say.

5. TJ's Lava Cakes

No, I didn't take this picture. But only because the one I did take is already on my external hard-drive (hardrive? harddrive? hard drive?).

Anyways, chocolate lava cakes are only the. best. dessert. ever. Fight me on it, I don't care. They will always come out on top. And $2.79 for two little pieces of heaven? Sounds good to me!
 

6. These shoes

Kegerries by Aldo.
Hi. I'm in love with them.
When I saw these in the window of Aldo, I froze. Then drooled. And decided that I needed them. But the "need them" where you just want them really, really, really bad and will wait until they go on super sale and hope they have your size. And then when they don't, you cry, but still live. That kind of "need them."
So...if anyone wants to get a jump start on a birthday present...here ya go. I'll take them in dark brown or cognac, size 6, please. Thank you!

7. This dog.

Isn't he just the cutest? I want him. To hug him and squeeze him and call him my squishy. And pet him and teach him tricks and take him for walks and to keep me company.
Feel free to buy him for me, as well as those Kegerries, and make me the happiest girl in the world [maybe, how do you even begin to verify a statement like that?]

8. This Man.
Because he is living exactly how I think Christ wants us to live and love. Incredible. Incredible. Incredible. I love it.

"Everybody has got 5.5 liters of blood. I am just a human being. For me, everybody is the same. There are thousands and thousands, lots of people suffering. What is the ultimate purpose of life? It is to give."

I.   love.    it.

celebrity boyfriend

Everyone, meet my boyfriend.
Boyfriend, meet everyone.

Chris Brown and I have an on-again-off-again type of relationship (besides the fact that it is always "off-again" because it's Chris Brown and he has no idea I exist...)  I mean, I've loved the dude for like, ever, but sometimes I forget that I love him. And then I see something like this:

And I'm all, "Oh hiiiii boyfriend! I missed you!"

Did you just watch that video?
Did you see him dancing?
Are you dead?
I thought so. Cause there is no way you just watched that video and DIDN'T DIE from those dance moves.
Ooooo, Chris Brown, you and your marvelous moves. 

 And I know, I know, he was abusive with Rhianna. And I should probably be "anti-Chris Brown cause he's a jerk" just like I'm "anti-Kanye West cause he's the biggest jerk ever and I hate him" but seriously...I can't get over those dance moves. So I'll just have to sweep that whole "sent his girlfriend to the hospital thing" under the rug.

Ryan, it will probably be to your benefit to learn how to dance like that. And by that, we all know I mean I want to brag to my friends about my husband's awesome dance moves, so...get on that. Also, I may or may not return your birthday presents in exchange for dance lessons. I know, best wife ever. You don't need to tell me.

cookies and cream cupcakes

I had a hankering to bake last night. [More so than usual, because seriously, when do I not want to bake?]
All we had in the cupboards were cake mixes and that was too boring for me. I wanted something with a little more pizazz.

So here's how I jazzed things up a bit...

I started out with a box of devil's food cake mix (the small size that you can get for a buck at K-mart, heck yes!), mixed it as usual but added in some sour cream for extra moisture.

After greasing the cupcake/muffin pan, I dipped one side of 6 Oreos into the batter and placed them on the bottom of each cupcake tin.

Then I poured the batter into the cups, like usual when baking cupcakes. And put some crushed Oreos in the mix.

Baked for 20 minutes.

Let them completely cool.

Then I frosted them.

Sprinkled with some Oreo crumbs and voila!

Then I ate them.
And I liked it.