Need your vote!

I just got a new camera!  I've wanted an SLR for quite a while now and I decided it was finally time to just bite the bullet and buy one.  After doing a lot of research I decided on a Nikon D3000 D-SLR.  I am loving it so far... I'm not so much in love with the amount of money I spent on it though!  So- what better time is there to enter a photography contest.  If I win...maybe the camera will pay for itself.  I can enter 3 images... which ones do you think look the best? 

What is that thing?  It's our campus stonehenge... not quite as attractive as the real thing- but kind of fun to have around.

Here are some other shots I captured today and the haircut pictures my mother requested- hehe:)

Leaves in the nuclear reactor barracade cement planter

My office windows- notice the top of the soil testing trailor right at the bottom of the shot- opps!

Pretty flower!

Stella

Mr Carl- very grumpy about the new camera- all his shots look just like this!

Ta-dah- the back is real short.  I still need to mail off my ponytail to Wigs for Kids.

What I Wore Wednesday!

So- I'm linking up with the The Pleated Poppy blog this week for What I Wore Wednesday! Lots of women link up to this blog to show what they wore that week.  I'm kind of a busy girl and let's face it, I am not really on top of things all the time, so  I recorded 2 of my last 7 days- woot! Here we go!

Sunday:  Church, out to eat, Wal-Mart run

Dress:  Target

Necklace:  JC Penny

Merril Sandals:  TJ Maxx

Wednesday:  Work and out to lunch with a friend

Shirt:  Old Navy

Pants: The Limited (actually- they are The Limited pants, but I got them at Marshalls)

Shoes:  Weddings on First (yup- I wear my wedding shoes about once a week!)

Bracelet:  Thrift Store

Ring: Art Gallery in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Yay! Head on over to The Pleated Poppy to see what are people are wearing this Wednesday!

So, lately my dear cats are creeping into just about every conversation I have... what can I say- I'm one of THOSE people!  Here is some evidence that they are getting along famously!

Doesn't Carl looked thilled?  He loves to give Stella baths- what a guy.  Here's what they do when they are not lounging angelically...

Carl has a leg up on this activity- obviously!  But, Stella holds her own.

STELLA!

Joe brought home a surprise the other night....

I almost started to cry- I was so happy to get a girl in the house:)  Her name is Stella and she weighs about 1 pound at 5 weeks of age.  She was a campus stray that got separated from her Mom and brothers. 

Her and Carl are getting along pretty well so far.  Initially there was some cranky hissing, but now he has taken on the role of Daddy- watching Stella play and sometimes carrying her in his mouth by the scruff of her neck just like a Momma cat!  Nice to see Carl can be domestic!  He looks like such an old kitty compared to Stella!

In other exciting news- here's our new fence!  Up just in time for the proverbial wild neighbor people to

re-inhabit their house for the school year.  Good deal I guess!

Cribs

This post is for my sister!  As promised... pictures of the new place.  Be sure to look for Carl... he was in a Where's Waldo kind of mood during the townhouse photoshoot...

Let Them Eat Cake

The following recipe has been flying around my family's e-mail accounts this week...

 It's a chocolate cake you make in a coffee cup!  It only takes about 5 minutes in the microwave...

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 4 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! This is definitely enough cake for two! 

Now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Grill Frills

Joe got a charcoal grill a few weeks ago and I think it's safe to say this is where the majority of our food is coming from!  Here is what I ate tonight (that's your broccoli Dad!)

After spending about an hour reading the grilling issue of Every Day with Rachel Ray I decided to throw together my own vegetable marinade.  Here's the recipe- if you can call it that- Jackson hodge-podge might be a little more accurate...

Broccoli

Cherry Tomatoes

Fresh Mushrooms

Onion

Green Pepper

Red Pepper

Kalameta Olives

Now for the marinade:

Splash of Kalameta Olive juice

A few splashes of Worcestershire Sauce

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of ground mustard

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of garlic salt

2 teaspoons of sesame seeds

I mixed everything together in a gallon freezer bag and threw it in the fridge for about 45 minutes.  Joe cooked it in a grill wok for about 15 minutes.  The result kind of reminded me of the something you would have at a HuHot or Mongos.  Super flavorful and tasty!

If you're not into a completely vegetarian meal... here is something else you can try.  Joe made these a few nights ago with all the vegetables I mentioned above + pineapple...

He added small pieces of round steak marinaded overnight with this...

My favorite part was the pineapple chunks- super juicy and fresh! 

It's so nice cooking supper together every night in the summer!  It makes me realize just how many late nights I worked this past academic year.  This coming year should have definite improvements in that arena.  Only two more weeks until I start my new job in Student Affairs- woot!

Project Corner with Katie

Super fun, super easy DIY project I put together for our new kitchen!  Here's what you do...

1.Find a picture frame or a mirror... doesn't have to be anything too pricey.  I found mine at Goodwill for about $7.

2.Buy some chalkboard paint.  I found mine at Wal-Mart although the lady in the paint department told me they are going to stop carrying it.  They should have it at Lowe's or Home Depot although our Lowe's was sold out the day I went to buy some.

3. Remove the glass portion of the frame and apply 2 coats of chalkboard paint.

4. Let dry 24 hours.  Season your new chalkboard using the wide side of some white school chalk.

5. Chalk away!  These are great for posting dinner party menus or welcome messages!