Warp 9 (aka: beach trip in full throttle)

Lieutenant R.E. Durbin's log: Stardate 08/16

Today we participated in the local custom of watching the sun rise on the beach.

Then Protocol 'Sunblock' was initiated and we continued our shore leave with:

Boogie boarding.

And playing in the sand

End log. Next update should be Friday (perhaps, it says it might rain, so we'll see)

The Great Unknown (aka: our beach trip)

Lieutenant R.E. Durbin's log: Stardate 08/14

We arrived at the planet called North Carolina, last night, for some much overdue shore leave. The trip there took five hours, total, due to unforeseen spaceship traffic in the Nebula Galaxy. Much grumbling was heard from the ensigns side of the crew, but Captain L. Durbin (my mum) and Chief Engineer, J. Durbin (my brother), took them in hand, and peace reigned until we reached the Starbase (ie: check in).

Today, we took our official, first steps on the M class planet.

We explored extracurricular activities, such as the old, Earthen tradition of playing volleyball (we were told it was quite popular in the 21st century).

The ensign (in pink) and lieutenants "going for it"

We also made sure to take a picture of the entire bridge crew

Bridge Crew

The Captain even deigned to try the "Dab"

What new adventures await us this week, I wonder?

July Art Challenge

We both did a summer themed picture.

Mine

Hers

(one of my favorite childhood memories)

Next month (which started day), we're doing a favorite character from one of our favorite fandoms (tv, comic, book, or movie)

June Art Challenge

So, for June, Scrub and I decided to give each other friendship crests/shields (kind of like a family crest, only for friendship). We each did each other.

My picture for her

Two Biggest Traits: Insightful (magnifying glass) and Kind (girl with heart)

Two favorite things: Reading and Music

Two favorite colors: Green and Blue

Most important thing: Family

Hers for me

Two biggest traits: Kindness (the heart) and artsy (the pen and brush)

Favorite thing: Fantasy (the faeries in the leaves)

Two favorite colors: Purple and blue

Favorite season: Autumn

Most important thing: My faith (the lion)

July is going to be a generic "summer" picture. I'm about 1/3 of the way done with mine. :D

The Quest for Best (gluten free)

So, I'm over at my boyfriend's (John) parent's house for three weeks. A kind of get-to-know-you-better time, as a week at Christmas only did so much. 

Anyhow, tonight, we made GF spaghetti, from squash, and GF Cheese Bread. As many of you may already know, doing Gluten Free is hard sometimes, though it's definitely gotten WAY better since I started (about 6 years ago). Baked goods, however, are still dry for the most part and there is a continual journey to advance our meals, to make them imitate the originals as best we can.

With that being said, squash was not what I first thought of for spaghetti. But Nancy (John's mother) wanted to try it out, so I said "Why not?". Below are the pictures of the bread and squash in several stages, plus the finished product,

Hope you enjoy. :D

Cheese Bread 

As it is pictured in the book.

After it was halfway done (looks like mashed potatoes to me)

Right before it went into the oven

The finished product!

It was really buttery.

Seemed like it'd be better served without cheese and at breakfast with jam.

Spaghetti Squash

Right it came out of the oven

Scraping it out, spaghetti style!

The finished meal!

No squash taste, just meat, but nothing like the original.

All in all, a good meal though. 

I'd rate the squash and bread a 5/10. 

The spaghetti sauce a 9/10! Nancy outdid herself. 

Sugar Sweet

(Picture by my littlest sister, Canice. She did it herself.)

You know those settings - like above -  or food that just calls to your inner elegance? The ones where you feel refined and ritzy just by owning it? Yeah, those. I love them so much!!! 

Recently, my sister, Kathleen, found a few of those cute foods at Harris Teeter. I just HAD to share them with you. 

Peanut Butter

(evidently it's crunchy...PB or chocolate bits?)

Oreo

(it's Oreo, need I say more?)

(left to right)

Chocolate Mousse and Mascarpone

(Moose won!)

Chocolate Oreo

(we're getting into the REALLY fancy now)

Last one...

Super Fancy

(I couldn't decide if I'd eat it with a fork and knife, or just stuff my face)

Chocolate Mocha Mousse

And that's it. Hope your mouth watered as much as mine did. :D

The Weeds of Life (ie: my crazy month)

As my title might suggest, this past month of May has been nothing short of mindbogglingly crazy. I never knew just how busy a teacher's day could get at the close of the school year. And I thought it was tough when I was a student.

Pshhhh!

That's nothing, Babes!

Between the testing, grading, and getting things ready for next year....it's a wonder any of us were able to remember to breath. And I only had a part-time job. I can't imagine what it was like for all the other teachers! Not that I regret taking this job. On the contrary, I love it (hectic bustle and all)! The children are such a joy. They remind me to stop and appreciate the smaller things in life. Plus, seeing them grow through the year is a thing of beauty.

My Kindergartner graduated to First Grade. Which, for whatever reason, made me feel old. Tehe! I'm a silly duckie, no?

I also finished my May picture for the Picture-A-Month challenge. We were both supposed to do a Medieval Castle. I got it in a day late, but I like how it turned out, nonetheless.

My Picture

Scrub's Picture (I love how it's Panoramic)

This month (June) we're doing friendship/personal Shield Crests. I'm doing hers and she's doing mine. If I've time, I'm gonna redo my April picture, so the trees turn out better.

Well, that's it for me right now. I'll try and be more regular during the summer.