BAR-B-Q

On Sunday night I was really craving chocolate.  Being the good boyfriend that he is, Peter took me to Wal*mart.  I was pretty grumpy throughout the day so this was a pick-me-upper.  We figured we should do some grocery shopping while we were there so I quickly wrote up a list of what to buy.

We decided to BBQ on Monday since it was Peter's day off.  We saw most of the grills on sale, but the one Peter wanted wasn't available.  He decided to hold off till the following day to check out other stores for a grill.  After practically going through the whole store and making it through check-out, we spent over an hour in there just browsing.  Not to mention, it was 1AM.  Haha.  

I was really really craving chili so once we got home, I fired up the stove and started cooking away.  Peter thought it would be good with pasta, so he cooked up some spaghetti noodles for the chili.  It was past 2AM by the time the food was ready, but it was SO worth it!  We also decided to watch "City of God."  I've been wanting to watch this movie for sooo long.  It was really late, but I'm glad we decided to watch it.  It's a good movie!  I enjoyed it :)  It was past 4AM by the time the movie finished though, so now my sleeping schedule is all screwed up!

We got up really late on Monday.  We nixed our plan to eat pho in Loveland and just BBQ.  We didn't find any other cheap grills so we headed back to Wal*mart to just buy the display grill.  Haha.  I told Peter last night to just buy it since we're going to end up coming back anyway.  When's he gonna learn I'm always right?  ;)

I started up the music and Peter got the grill going and cooked up hamburgers, beef bratwursts, and my TURKEY LEG!  I found a great deal on turkey legs at Wal*mart.  I got 3 of them in a pack for $5.50.  OMG!  Such a good deal.  I love turkey legs!  They're always SO deng expensive at the fairs/amusement parks though, so I couldn't pass this up.  We also had left over chili from the previous night!  So much food.  The doggies were going crazy when Peter would give them bits and pieces of hamburger.

After eating, I wanted to play cornhole!  Thanks to Owen & Maren, they gave their set to us before they moved to Ohio.  It was still pretty light out & it was a good opportunity to finally use our front yard for once.  We put the doggies on their leash and let them roam around the yard while we played.  It was a lot of fun!  After 3 rounds, I came out on top!  I killed him during the last game :)  Maria 2, Peter 1.  I win!  Usually the case, I must say.  Hehe.

The neighbors downstairs finally got to see how big the doggies really are.  I hope that struck fear into the kids.  I want Zeus to eat them!  Hahah.  Maybe then they'll stop banging on the walls and quit screaming bloody murder.  Those kids also taunt the dogs, so I hope they learn their lesson soon.  I just wish our dogs were aggressive in the least bit.  They're too friendly.  LOL.  

After cornhole, I'm pretty sure we laid down and ended up taking an unplanned nap.  My sleeping schedule is even further screwed!  Aaahh.  Oh well, we had a good time!

DIY Ideas

OK, so I'm caught up in looking at all these cute little knick knacks, relationship articles, & WEDDING idea blogs/articles.  WTF.  Strangely enough, they're giving me some super cute ideas!  I guess you could say I'm doing some blog surfing today.

• DIY Wedding Menu Wheel - LOVE!
• Why I would want to move to Europe - Sunday Love
• DIY Terrariums - I want to do this!
• Vanessa (@ Pois Rouge) introduced me to some uber cute items available @ Billet.jp
• Possible wedding favor idea or ok, I just want to make it - Tin Travel Candles
• Secret To A Happy Marriage - Agreed!
• What a great way to display photographs. I think I'm inLOVE with this site.
• MUST MUST DO. Adorable Valentines Day Kit.

I definitely think I need to quit reading blogs, news, etc. etc. for a little bit.  Haha.  But before that.. some fun facts!

• The average woman kisses 29 men before she gets hitched! Damn, I am behind by 20 men! 
• Two out of every three couples turn their heads to the right when they kiss. (Do you?) Actually, yes I do. It's more natural/comfortable.  Sometimes to the left to change things up!
• Kissing releases the same neurotransmitters in our brains as parachuting, bungee jumping and running.

DreamWeaver.

Currently upgrading my Adobe DreamWeaver program from CS3 to CS4.  I've been having error boxes constantly popping up for a month now so it'll be a nice change.  Hopefully it's not too different from the previous version, but I'm sure I'll get used to it nonetheless.


I'm going to need to clear out some files on my computer soon though.  I only have 5GB left!  I don't know how that's possible since I don't have THAT many programs installed & maybe 13GB of songs?  I'm not sure.  Half my harddrive is probably photos though.  Yeah, I can guarantee that.  Haha.  Can't help it though :)


Speaking of which... I got all 225 of my photos in the mail this past week!  300 if you count the 75 I sent to my mom.  The best part... they were FREE!  Thanks to Snapfish.com for their free shipping code ;)  All the photos were from our trip to London, so I'm pretty stoked to have them all printed & in hand.  Some things are just better when you have a physical copy.  I've already got some of the photos displayed around the house!  I also printed up duplicates of some photos for my mom & my cousin's family in London.  Need to remember to send those out to them ASAP.  I also need to get a photo album or maybe even better, a scrapbook!  I saved a bunch of the stuff we had in London.  Our plane tickets, tour tickets @ Chelsea Stadium, maps, etc!


Ok, download is done :)


P.S.
I meant to make a note of it.  I've been having really weird dreams lately.  I don't normally dream in a "fantasy-like" kind of setting/plot.  Perhaps it's all of the Dragonball Z that I've been watching?  Last night's dream was pretty disgusting though.  I could see myself throwing a punch towards Peter's way in my dream, but I could also feel myself acting out the motion in REAL LIFE.  The funny thing is, I was so aware of my movements, I actually thought to myself if I should go through with & go through with throwing a punch. And I did.  It was quite amusing. I don't normally move around/talk in my sleep... so I guess I figured, why not?  Haha.  All the other dreams consist of hidden passage ways, drunken stupor with a friend, & SNAKE for breakfast for my friends & I, courtesy of my mother.  Yeah, not to sure where all of it comes from.  Hopefully tonight will bring about more dreams.  Night night.

Hello Subconscious.

If our dreams speak our subconscious desires, then my dreams have been channeling the same message to me time and time again.  If my dreams decided to transcend thought and manifest themselves into reality, I would not fight it.


Despite waking up numerous times today, I kept falling back into the same dream.  As per the usual, there are a few significant parts that remain vivid in my mind.  I love the fact that I can remember a good portion of my dreams.  I can't imagine waking up a whole week without remembering a dream.


Anywho, it seems as if we've gone from summer and headfirst into winter!  What happened to everything in between?  I told Peter we'll have a crazy winter up ahead of us, but I didn't anticipate it starting in September!  Seriously, winter storm warnings already?  I could've sworn it was just 80+ degrees this past Sunday!


These past couple weeks have been dragging on.  I'm still dreaming about Europe.  I seriously want to move there.  Seriously.  I even looked up websites on how to achieve this.  Peter is right there with me on the idea.  I don't mind the cramped spaces, the older feel, all the walking, or crazy taxes.  I just need to find a way there, pronto!


We've also spent a good amount of the time cooking.  Peter cooked fajitas one night & two different kinds of pasta on another night.  He had marinara sauce + meatballs & he made alfredo for me!  Yum.  None of that out-of-the-can stuff either.  Homemade alfredo is the best, especially when cooked by my boyfriend!  I made oven-baked teriyaki chicken, chicken adobo, steamed sweet corn, crab dip, chili (no beans!), & the usual portuguese sausage, eggs, & rice.  Not too shabby.  The chili was the bomb diggity!  $6 for all the ingredients (thanks to Colorado prices!) & enough leftovers for a second meal!


On Sunday we had a late lunch at Old Chicago's, which was delicious.  As usual, we got way too much food.  We got the Italian Nacho's appetizer (freakin delicious!), I got the Wings & Pizza Rolls combo & he got the Wings & Pizza combo.  We were instantly hit with food coma, but I told Peter we have to stay for the rest of the Broncos game (that's why we went to OC's after all!).  We ended up winning, so that was awesome :)


Monday, it was cold and dreary, but I had to wake up early to meet with a client.  Our meeting ended up to be 2 1/2 hours long, which isn't too bad since I get paid for it :P  When I got home, we headed out for brunch at Village Inn and we both had Country Fried Steak (or was it Chicken Fried Steak?).  Food coma again.  We were supposed to watch a movie, but I ended up taking a nap and he played video games all day/night.  Haha.  Oh well.


Now I have a bunch of work to do on some websites and catching up on e-mail with clients.  Fun.

News For Today

I've been catching up on world news for the past couple of days.  It's been a while since I've read more than a handful of articles.  New's hasn't changed much though.  The stories are still disturbing, saddening, & heartbreaking.  So many people have been displaced.  So many are fighting wars as we sit here in the comfort of our own homes-- a luxury the masses would die to have. Hmm.. What can we do about it?  That's probably a good thing to ponder.  I truly applaud those who are out there actually making a difference in people's lives. Just a few stories I've read recently:

• Girl, 12, forced to marry dies giving birth
  
• Flour giveaway turns into deadly stampede
  
• WSOC: Pregnant teen shot, killed at bus stop
  
• Groom killed in wreck on wedding day
  
• Officers put on leave in Rihanna photo leak
  
• Kanye West grabs Swift's mic at MTV awards
  
• Body found in wall may be missing Yale student
  

Some of these stories are so backwards.  They simply make no sense.  A man who organizes a giveaway of flour at his compound to HELP the poor is ARRESTED because he didn't notify the authorities.  I guess good deeds come at a price these days?  A pregnant 15 year old get's shot in the head intentionally.  A good Christian man is killed on his way to his wedding.  A Yale graduate student, who was to be married YESTERDAY, was most likely murdered and stuffed into the walls at her University.

And yes, Kanye West, you are an ass.  You have officially won the Douchebag of the Year award!  In your own words, "How could you be so heartless?"  Poor Taylor.  It was HER moment.  She's completely undeserving of your lack of respect  & self-righteousness.  I hope you feel the backlash of your actions.

Perhaps I should just stop reading the news for a little bit.  I just get really upset at times.

I want. I want!

Flying Panda Tee @ Steppie 

Panda Face Neckalce @ Steppie 

ACEO prints @ Steppie 

Panda Lovers Phone Charm @ LovelyCharms 

Panda Purse - KINDA looks like the one I wanted in London! 





A super overload of cuteness, I know.  Hahah!  Not to mention, I also want:

• IR (Infrared) converted digital camera
• Holga camera
• Polaroid camera
• 2009 Ninja 250R

Lastly, since I'm all over Etsy today, I entered Element Nineteen's September Giveaway  (aka Anirtak @ etsy).  I really love her necklaces. Here's to hoping!

Labor Day Weekend

I had a great dream last night.  I know I had 3 dreams, that I should remember, but the 2nd dream overshadowed the rest.  Hence, it's the one I remember most vividly.  I love how real my dreams feel sometimes.  I know this dream was a reflection of my subconscious as well.  I woke up unable to help the smile :)


Yesterday was a pretty fun, event-filled day.  Peter & I headed down to Denver to enjoy Labor Day.  Since it took us FOREVER to find FREE parking, we decided to go to the Rockies vs. Reds game first.  HAHA.  Actually, we decided to eat first since stadium food costs an arm & a leg!  I had a chili dog and fries for lunch & he got a Chicago dog.  We watched the first 3 innings in the bar while we ate.


All the Rockpile ($5) tickets were sold out, so we got the next best seats at $10 a pop.  Peter thought we were in the right seats, but I knew we were supposed to be higher, but I didn't say anything.  Hahah.  This was my first Rockies game so I was pretty pumped!  The sun was glaring, the seats were hot.  Before long, our pants were & shirts were soaked with sweat.  I KNEW I should've stayed in shorts.  By the bottom of the 7th the clouds finally made their way over, bringing temporary relief from the sun.  It was SO hot, but at least we won 4-3!


After the game, we headed towards 16th St. Mall for the Taste of Colorado.  We got ourselves some tickets and walked around.  It was $5 for 8 tickets & it was usually 2 tix for a 'Taste'.. I tried some strawberry banana gelato, bacon wrapped chicken, rum marinated grilled pork, rice pudding, crab dip (freakin` awesomely delicious!), & got myself a small shave ice. There was a lot of people there.  I can't believe the things some people wore, their make-up, & hairstyle.  HAHA.  Anyway, it was fun.  I should've got the packs of dip though, it was seriously amazing!


After that we headed out to Peter's mom's working place & brought her some stuff from London.  We picked up some Pho to-go & I got a snow honeydew melon boba! I LOVE BOBA!  It was muy delicioso :)  Once we got home we ate the Pho for dinner and watched "Rockstar."  Not too bad of a movie.


Good times.  We were soooo tired after that!  I almost slept-in past 10am today!  Hahah.

London Photos: Day 1

Just a few photos from our trip to London: Day 1.  I spent a good amount of yesterday editing these photos, so enjoy.  I'd post more, but I don't know how to do an "lj-cut" type of thing here on blogger.  Haha.  Please click on the photos to see the full-size resolution.   

At DIA - waiting for our flight out to Chicago!

Our room - The Radisson Leicester Square Hotel

In Chinatown - just a block from our hotel.

The National Gallery - Just behind our hotel

The National Gallery (left) & St. Martins In The Fields (right)

Trafalgar Square - We probably went here everyday. Haha. It's the 4th most popular tourist attraction in the world.  It's always busy here.

Pretty building I saw while walking.  It's hard to do night photography without a tripod, but I do enjoy it!

Big Ben - I finally got to see him!

Westminster Bridge

The River Thames & The London Eye

Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

Waterloo Bridge, I think.

Having a drink on a boat on the River Thames!

Cheers!

There was a bar/club downstairs on the boat & we met this random group of guys there & hung out with them for a bit :)

With the London Eye behind us.

and that's our first day/night in London!  I actually have to download the other photos from my little camera.  I'll post a round 2 of day 1 sometime later.  I took wayyyy too many pictures.  Hahah.  I got a couple great photos though :)  More to come later!

 

Stonehenge.

This was an old entry that was saved as a draft since my laptop crapped out & I was too lazy to go back and finish the entry...


Being in England has been great.  I continue to forget that I am in a different country despite the constant reminders:  driving on the "wrong" side of the road, narrow roads, ancient buildings, abundance of mercedes & BMWs, & extremely expensive everything.  Different terms I've learned thus far:


Bathroom = Toilet or Loo
Take out = Take away
Cotton Candy = Candy Floss
Popsicle = Ice lolly
Fries = Chips
Subway = Tube


It's quite interesting.  The accents still amuse me.  Just listening to my little nephew speak cracks me up.  Ok, he's not so little.  According to this stores measuring poster thing, Gian is the height of a 7 year old (he just turned 6 on Saturday).  I am the height of a 12 1/2 year old.  Hahah!  


Anyway, we checked out of the hotel on Monday morning.  We left our baggage with Guest Services while Peter & I walked around London.  We headed down to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard.  We made it just in time to watch them at their starting point.  We then headed down the street to the gates where there was a SEA of people.  We pretty much missed most of the ceremony as everyone fought for a spot near the gates.  We could hear the band/guards, but we couldn't see anything.  So we waited & waited  until they came towards our way.  The man standing next to us had extremely bad body odor.  It was a bit nauseating to say the least.  It was bright & sunny out, so everytime a gust of wind blew by, the feeling was bittersweet.


After that we got a drink & sat around & relaxed in the park for a bit.  We walked some more through the sights and ended up in Covent Garden.  We should've gone here earlier!  We were hanging around Chinatown so much, we didn't get a chance to check this area out.  We did some shopping and picked up some things for people.  I also now have more scarves than I will ever need in a lifetime.  There were a lot of shops & it was just a quaint collection of buildings, stores, & restaurants.  Performers also riddled the streets as the masses were drawn to them like flies.  We finally said our goodbyes to Leicester Square and headed to the Tube.

My cousin & his family were gracious enough to let us stay with them for the remainder of our trip.  We all went to Stonehenge today.  I never thought I would get to see such a sight this early on in my life, but I did.  I expected it to be much more grand, but it didn't disappoint.  Just being there.. was amazing for me.  Maybe if we were allowed closer, allowed to actually touch the rocks, the henges would surely tower over me.  Being in the English countryside was also a sight to see.  Peter, my nephew (cousin's son! it's just easier to say nephew), & I took a walk through the grasslands to get closer to the sheep.  It was adorable seeing my nephew follow Peter like that.  I can't imagine how the experience would've been if we were there for sunrise or sunset.  There were sooo many tourists there.  I think I would very much like to enjoy the area all by my lonesome.  There's a sense of mystery there, a sense of peace.  I'd prefer it not be clouded by the presence of people all around me.  I'll have to do that next time!  I picked up some postcards & a stonehenge ecobag (only £2.50!) as souvenirs.  


We headed out shortly after our walk through the fields.  We stopped by KFC for lunch!  Yum yum.  I love KFC.  It was interesting to see the menu & their portions of food once again.  I continuously receive reminders of how over indulgent us American's can be.  Their "large" sized side dishes were no bigger than those mini-sized play-doh containers!  I was also amused by my nephews choice of food.  Sweet corn dipped in baked beans & ketchup.  LOL.  Kids are so strange.  


We started heading back towards the city to go "picking" at this farm.  You can pick your own berries, fruits, vegetables, or flowers, & just pay for them at the closest kiosk.  Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating and it started pouring rain.  We decided to head back to Hayes & once we got home, the sun broke through the clouds & the rain stopped.  Great timing!  Hahah.  At that point my cousin decided to just take us shopping in Uxbridge.  I picked up a last minute birthday gift for my mom & my cousin hooked me up with a super sweet pair of Adidas Superstar shoes!  Oh man, I love it, so much!  I don't think you can find it in the states, which makes it even more sweet!  He even got me a Nike top to use for sports/running.  I know, I'm so spoiled :)) It's the benefits of being the baby of the family.  Hehe.


I'm so lucky.  So blessed in my life.