One Year "simplysandiblog" Anniversary

I became a "blogger" exactly one year ago today. Wow! Life is so random, and I've loved capturing it one "blog" at a time. Blogging isn't easy. If you build a "fan base" aka "follower", then you have to keep up with it because people get disappointed when they check out your blog, and it hasn't been updated. Oh my gah, the pressure!

My friend, Jen and I came up with the word "blugging" which is blogging when you're blue.. and who wants to read that.. so I made a decision that my blog wouldn't be a diatribe of my opinions and beliefs but brief, caustic and funny. Personally, my attention span is limited to articles that are one page or less, so it's always been my intent for the most part to keep my blogs very short and to the point... unlike now when I feel the need to ramble and reflect on my first year of blogging. So bare with me.


Until a year ago, blogging was for other people.. and I didn't even read blogs. Now, I am an "official" blog stalker. Finding awesome blogs is so fun. There are so many, it's hard to keep up. I have to admit that I "stolen" ideas from many blogs. Right now, my blog is "back to the basics". I want to explore a different layout and add cool gadgets. So, I promise a year from now it'll be really cool. So Please KEEP READING! Please BE A FOLLOWER! Please add your COMMENTS. I love comments. Except when they are spam ads - then that is just aggravating.

View from my Cube

Looks like we have a summer storm brewing!

Scooter "GUY" Alert

As ya'll know, I have "sources" out on the street ready to take pictures of random silliness for me at any given time... this "scooter sighting" was in the Far North Dallas/ West Plano area (in case you want to keep your eyes open for him)

check this guy out.. I do not know what's more wrong...

big dude on a scooter... the orange tinted sunglasses.. or

the PURPLE freaking hair...

so far the only person that classes up a scooter is Aunt Janae - remember ?

Twilighters...

I have found a new awesome series. A friend loaned me "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clarke like 6 months ago. I put it aside as a "book I will read when I have nothing else to read". So, I picked it up this weekend, and when I saw that the main character was 15 years old, I almost put it down (just like I almost did with "Twilight") - but once I started reading it - LOVED IT... just like "Twilight". I couldn't wait to get the next book "City of Ashes". I looked at Half Price Books first, but they didn't have it. I felt a little weird looking in the young adults section, but oh well. I found it at Borders - in the young adult section. I almost picked up the third book "City of Glass" but it was hardback ($$), and I figured that was too much to spend on books - because we all know that I didn't leave Half Price Books empty handed!

Fireworks

The yellow building is the fireworks stand. I wasn't "driving". I was sitting in traffic.

Growing up within the Dallas city limits, I never saw signs like these. Now that I live in the "country" (some dispute this since I live on a zero lot in a planned community, but it's off a FM road... that's country to me, baby) these signs are EVERY where...

I wanted to take more pictures, but unfortunately, I'd have to stop and pull over to take the pictures, and that's not how I roll.

My Patio

I bought these "gazebo" lights at Target. I have been teased for not taking my "Christmas lights" down. I'm like, what? I just put these up in May. I LOVE LOVE LOVE lights.

I really want to create this look from Twilight, but those lights would not survive Texas thunderstorms year round.

http://www.fanpop.com/spots/twilight-movie/images/3217553

Muffin Tops

Remember the "Muffin Top" Seinfeld episode ?

I found these are Market Street. They are highly recommended by Hungry Girl. She uses them in her recipe book "200 Recipes under 200 Calories".

Project Herb Garden

Sage, Chives, and Lavender are hanging in there. The sage actually looks better than this picture portrays. It's not all yellow..

Basil, Italian Parsley and Thyme... hmmm... and now "fungi"..what do you do with that?

The Buzzyseed pot - Basil and Thyme are doing great. Cilantro is dead... you can see the dead leaves on the right hand side of this picture.

Poor poor Cilantro... I was going to re-pot it for better drainage, but I think it's too late.

Overall, I think my project is going pretty well considering that I started it in the summer, and we have had consistently 99 degree days for like 3 weeks now.

I feel bad for the Cilantro, but I have heard it is a very hard herb to grow so I will re-visit Cilantro in the Fall or next Spring.

Flip Pics

http://iloveflipbooks.com/category.php?category_id=46


This looks like fun!!! Can't wait to try them.

Chocolate Cookie Cake Pie

I got this recipe from cakespy blog

I believe I used all Pillsbury products for my version of Chocolate Cookie Cake Pie.

Ingredients:
1 Pillsbury Pie Crust
1 Package of Pillsbury Walnut Chocolate Chip Pull apart Cookie Dough
1 Pillsbury Chocolate Cake Mix
1 container Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Frosting
2 teaspoons of cinnamon

This was the easiest dessert I've ever made.

Put the pie crust in the pie pan. Put a layer of cookie dough to cover the bottom. (I had some cookie dough left over so I put it in the freezer.)
Prepare cake per the directions on the box ( I used 1 teaspoon cinnamon in the cake mix). Pour over the cookie pie crust. (I had enough mixture leftover to make 24 mini muffins.)
I baked it at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool, then frost. I put 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in the frosting before spreading it on the cake.

It is really good -and a little bit goes a long way. The flaky pie crust really helps cut the sweetness of the cookie dough.

Herbal Experiment - Week 1

The basil, thyme, and cilantro have teeny tiny leaves. Am I growing "micro" herbs ?
This is sage, lavender and chives. So far so good.

This is the basil, thyme, and italian parsley. The italian parsley is barely holding on.

Here is my cilantro. Still alive, but we do have one dead limb.

I bought some liquid plant food... I read this is supposed to be good for them in the summer... Stay tuned for week 2