Sunday, September 30, 2012

super quick, super easy, super yummy strawberry pastries

Howdy everyone! so i came across this recipe on pinterest for a bluberry pastry and realized i had all 4 ingredients except blueberries
then i remembered i just bought fresh strawberries and all was right with the world again
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this was really the easiest thing i've ever made
you need:
1 package crescent rolls
4 oz cream cheese (half a package) - softened
1/2 cup fresh strawberries chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
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preheat the oven to 375
mix the cream cheese with the sugar
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open your crescent rolls and keep them in 4 rectangles instead of 8 triangles
close the perforations and seal the rectangles
spread the cream cheese / sugar mix on each rectangle almost to the edge and the put your strawberries in the center
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pinch the corners together reaching across lengthwise
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pop them in the oven for 11 minutes or until the crust is golden brown
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last step: eat them up!
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see what i mean... super quick, super easy, and super yummy!
xoxoxox
Lily Bean

i totally miscalculated my time...

Hi everyone! Wow was i ever wrong about calculating my time the first few weeks of school! i won't try to recalculate or make any promises for fear of jinxing myself again hahaha
i will just say i think i caught up and i will not let myself fall behind again (i hope) and if all goes as planned i should be able to squeeze in a bit of cooking and crafting

mini update on school:
intro to lit has quickly become my favorite class. go figure, the class i was most terrified of i am actually enjoying. i guess i like my teacher's style and the way he challenges us to think. i did get an A on my first test =) felt so good!!

pharmacology is super interesting and i love learning about disease and disorders. this class has been an eye opener and i am now even more glad that i choose to handle most health issues by avoiding them or fighting back naturally

computers in healthcare has actually been my biggest struggle so far but i thinnk once we get past computer history (borrrrring) the i will be good with updated info that i feel i will actually use

health data has made me want to pay attention to the news and politics... weird, i know haha. my poor family has to deal with me and my usual "did you know?" information except with this class its about medicare history and they dont seem too interested haha

my saturdays became a bit hectic because i joined a zumba class in the morning and signed penny up for obedience school in the afternoon. i am thoroughly enjoying both but that sucked up some time of course. i didn't think i was going to like zumba at all but my friend talked me into trying it and im hooked. it kicked my butt and the first day i couldnt even get through the full class without taking a break because my heart felt like it was going to pop and i couldnt breathe hahaha.i was embarassed by how out of shape i am.but i love every butt-kicking minute
as for penny's class she is making progress. she is very smart and im not having much trouble with normal commands but the poor girl cannot figure out tricks. i cant get her to shake to save my life. and she is learning to socialize better which was my primary reason for signing her up

today was the first day since my last blog that i have had free time. i almost forgot what it felt like to have some fun. i was going to start sewing my mermaid tail but i got lost on pinterest and decided to bake a quick treat instead (my next post will be the recipe). i did finally make time to dye my hair though. it was getting to be so washed out and was desperately needing color

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i used color fiend in red rum. i have about half a bottle of that and then ill be down to half a bottle of blue then its back to black. i felt sad knowing i wont see the pink for a while. im just using these last 2 random bottles i have left before going back to natural so i can conform for clinicals in school (booo to being normal haha)
so off i go to type the recipe for the pastry i just made.
missed you all!
xoxoxoxox
Little Lily Red Bean

Thursday, September 6, 2012

ready for fall to tumble in

wow! so i am already 2 weeks into the fall semester (14 to go lol)
these 4 classes will take me right to christmas!
my schedule is a bit crazy... but nothing like summer semester
this is a general week mini breakdown:
i start work every day at 6 now
monday and wednesday i have 2 classes, one in the morning and one in the evening. both at the campus about 30 mins from home
tues and thurs 1 class in the afternoon at the campus 5 mins from home
fri, sat, and sun no school... but i do have an online class to squeeze in some time for

i am already doing pretty well at adjusting to this and finding that i have enough extra time for cooking, crafting, and blogging much more these days

i want to get back to cooking all meals on weekends... i have pinned enough meals to get me through haha
i cannot wait to try so many recipes!
 
i also made a facebook acct for my blog. i will update it everytime i post

i am planning on being a mermaid for halloween and bought some fabric to make the fin myself
that is the first project on my to-do list. i hope it is at least 1/2 as cool as im imagining it

i have always been a california summer girl, but these days living in the desert has turned me into more of a fall/spring girl... i am so ready to beat the heat
i am done with summer!
(never though id say that)
 
thanks for hanging in there with me through all the ups and downs that have slowed down my blogging over the last year
hoping i should never have a semester as bad as last summer so i should be able to keep much more on top of this game
 
so far i have not been great with my New Year's Resolution and there's only 4 months until it's time to make a new one! this last month i have actually given more effort to always be "put together". i guess i had to turn 26 before it set in that i am an adult haha. and i have behaved well in all my recent shopping escapades, always asking "is this something punk-high-school Bean likes, or is this appropriate for grown-up Bean as well".
you are all watching my change from caterpillar to butterfly

let fall bring:
-bettie bangs and blowdryers
-cozy layers of fun clothes
-cooking and baking new recipes
-more chances to play hard with the pups without fear of overheating
-"the time change" so i am not waking for work in the dark
-another straight As semester *fingers crossed*
-plenty of time for cooking and crafting, especially sewing new clothes
AND... (dare i say...)
-winter
 
i am so ready to put more of me out there and hope to see more of you here as well
<3
xoxoxox
Lily Bean

(i thought this cute lil cookie was fitting since it's a caterpillar and super cute. i already ate the lil guy though. he was tasty)
 
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

birthday $$ + texas tax free weekend = new clothes

(the following was written 2 weeks ago when i was having photo issues)
hello again!
as i mentioned before i have been doing some shopping.
my birthday just passed (august 5th... im 26 now! when did that happen??) and i had saved all money and gift cards. last weekend was Texas Tax Free Weekend for back to school shopping. almost all items for back to school are tax free including clothes. so you know me... anytime something is on sale in any way i like to strike. and i had saved all my birthday dubloons knowing the shopping holiday was around the corner.
i started promptly at midnight (yes, i called walmart and asked if the tax free started at midnight lol) i was suprised that there wasn't many people in walmart at the time (its usually packed around the clock here). here is what i got that trip:
 
i snagged up these cute blue jeans for $11. he fitting rooms were closed (and i always have to try on bottoms) but i grabbed my best guess and figured i could exchange if i needed to
so i wore them the next morning and was IN LOVE! best fit ever
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i had been eyeballing this shirt for a few weeks. i told myself if they had my size for tax free weekend it's mine and if not... well then im just too old for silly tshirts now and have to grow up. so glad they had it =P only $5
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i also grabbed some school supplies and plain black and white tank tops (you can never have too many)
 
then on saturday afternoon i ended up at the mall and at another walmart.
 
the other walmart had these pants that i have been wanting so badly!  grey leopard print with red roses! how cute right. $20
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i saw these red jeans while i was in line for the fitting rooms and decided they needed to come home with me too $18 and a great fit
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another shirt i had been eyeing. on clearance for $7
i love the halter "necklace"
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 i grabbed this cute cami tank in black and white $4 each
i love the touch of lace
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 i was lucky enough to find more of those blue jeans i had grabbed on my midnight run the night before. they only had 1 pair and it was my size... meant to be! when i find an article of clothing that fits that good i always try to buy 2 or 3.
 
so at the mall i couldnt resist seeing what forever 21 had in store. i tried to hurry since the whole family (my nephews and the whole crew) was at the mall and i was the only one who wanted to go to forever 21. but i did spot this cute top for $5
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sunday i made sure to go to target
i always find soemthing i love there
 
i found 3 adorable cardigans all on clearance for $11
one in yellow starbust
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pink starburst
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and this purple pattern which i wasn't sure i was going to like until i put it on, then i loved it
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this straw cowgirl hat for $5
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this cute straw hat for $5
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the week after tax free weekend i ended up at the mall again
(starting christmas chopping early so it hits the wallet less at once)
i got all 8 of these items for $7.50... Jewelry Box of course
 
spider ring
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bluebird ring
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superstar ring
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2 large hair flowers
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3 pairs of a medium and small flower


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and these next 3 items i didnt purchase but wanetd to share
they were given to me in the same time frame
this adorable hat
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this awesome day of the dead marilyn shirt
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and this super awesome zombie bettie wallet
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i am super happy with everything and after gift cards and birthday $$ i spent less than $80
i am so ready for the fall
i know i cried and cried for summer but i am so over this desert heat and ready for some cooler temps
i bought fabric to make a mermaid skirt for my halloween costume and should start that within the next week
 
until next time
xoxoxox
Lily Bean

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Munchkins, munchkins everywhere!

howdy everyone! so I have been pretty darn busy between semesters. i can hardly believe i start fall semester monday already! eep! kindergarten jitters setting in! (p.s. this was written 2 weeks ago, i am now a week into fall semester)
 
i have done a lot of shopping and some running around town with my nephews here for vacation.
i will have to post my shopping spree finds in their own post but let me tell you! i scored some good deals.
 
last week my nephews came in to visit for 5 days before school starts back up. in total there was 7 adults, 4 kids under 10 years old, 2 in-house dogs, a bunny, and a hedgie all under one roof
wow! we had to take 3 cars everywhere hahaha
this was penny's first time around most of the people visiting and boy was i glad she did well (my 1 year old black lab) and of course thea was perfect, as to be expected from her lol (my australian shepherd)
 
we had some fun showing the family around town. we visited the 3 local missions on the El Paso Mission Trail, the War Eagles Air Museum, and the El Paso Zoo. not to mention we ate and ate and ate. stayed up late and woke up early. watched movies. played video and board games. and ate some more =P
 
get ready for summer fun picture overload <3

bed heads <3 we would go play outside soon as we woke up to beat the heat
 5 of my loves getting some play time in
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 lil T was so excited to see thea when we came home
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 everyone was ready for a nap on the fluffiest pillow in the house
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the lil guy just sat the saying "cheese" and making me snap this picture for like 2 minutes lol
so cute 
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 enjoying dessert at the golden corral
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 train ride on the cookie express @ the I-10 Flea Market and Fair
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   My first time in San Eli, a historic town only about 30 mins from home
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statue of Billy the Kid outside of a historic jail which he broke in to
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i adored these HUGE sunflowers!
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awesome mural
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cowboy <3
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one of my fave planes at the museum... simply because its pink of course
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gorgeous caddy. i love how the war plane museum has classic cars too
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i love this plane because it is on the material i used to make my little man's shorts and my skirt
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the kiddies playing in the cockpit
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3 little monkeys
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pushing the stroller around the zoo
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my meerkats <3
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i have always known lions are big... but never understood really how big until getting this close
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glued to the window watching the lions
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sea lions at a zoo?!?! pretty cool. i guess since we dont have an aquarium or sea world. any ocean life always makes me happy
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turtle mural <3
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these giraffes were fighting the whole time we were there
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phew! thats it, my fave pics from my nephews visit. i finally figured out how to get photos on so i will update you on my latest purchases next time

xoxoxoxo
Lily Bean

p.s.
i missed you all!