When you care enough to make the very best...

I have recently gotten into the habit of making cards for my friends that are personalized for their unique interests and preferences. One of my oldest friends recently had a birthday. We bonded my 8th grade year over our love for certain boys from the Boston area. I felt nothing was more appropriate for Rachel's birthday.

Also, my friend Robby got engaged... I knew that our love for Eastland alumni had to be a part of his card.

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

The blank wall in my kitchen had been driving me CRAZY! I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to put there. Then, while watching an episode of CougarTown I realized I needed to steal an idea right off their wall.

Also, I recently used my Uppercase Living lettering I had ordered to label my canisters. If you need any UL lettering, Lorrie is the person to contact. She is AWESOME!

Red Velvet Trifle

Red Velvet Cake is my favorite. After watching one of my favorite episodes of Friends where Rachel makes a trifle (as Joey would say, "Whats not to like?? meat- good, jam- good, custard- good) I decided that I needed to make one as well. I think Joey would agree that it was GOOD!

to make the cake

- Red Velvet Cake mix (yes, I know it is

cheating, but I was in a hurry and I wasn't really sure it was going to work)

- 3 eggs

- 2/3 cups water

- 1/3 cup oil (usually when I am make a cake I use applesauce, but I was out, so oil was

my other option

- half a box of cheesecake pudding

Combine all this (there is something scary about just how RED the batter is) and bake according to directions on the box.

Let me take a moment to talk about my most favorite cooking utensil... EVER. It would be the Pampered Chef Mix & Masher. I use it to mix cookies, cakes, brownies, etc. (you dont need to get the mixer out because it can be done with this great tool), i use it for guacamole and pretty much anything else that involves stirring. You should get one, ASAP! My AMAZING and AWESOME friend Stephanie will gladly help you get all the Pampered Chef Goodness that you need.

After the cake is baked, let it cool and crumble it up. Then you are ready for the creamy goodness. How I made mine was:

- 1 block of cream cheese

- about 1/2-1/2 cup of sugar

- 8 oz cool whip

- the other half of a box of cheesecake pudding

Combine these ingredients and layer with the cake, keep refrigerated

Goals for 2011

After taking a week to think about it, I have decided what I want to accomplish this year. I am also taking a new approach by charting it on my fridge so I have to look at it EVERY day. There is no avoiding what I want to do- it is in my face.

1. Lose 6.5 pounds a month

2. Write 5 blog entries a month

3. Travel somewhere new

4. Do something involving culture every month

5. Make plans and see friends

6. Complete a 5K

7. Write a letter or send a card every week

8. Track the distance I run/walk

9. Post new things monthly on my ETSY page (AliRage)

10. Create a new treasury each week on ETSY.

You unlock this door with the key of imagination...

I love The Twilight Zone. It is one of my favorite shows. I love Rod Serling. There is something eerie and attractive about him. I LOVE Tower of Terror at Hollywood studios at Disney World—who would not enjoy traveling through the opening credits and seeing and hearing Rod Serling face to face???? (SERIOUS downside of breaking one’s spine … I won’t be riding it again- makes me SO sad)

As New Years Day comes to a close, so does the annual Twilight Zone marathon. After several friends commented and referenced it on Facebook today, It made me think about what are my favorite 5 episodes and why… so here is my top 5 list.

5. THE DUMMY- simply put, this is the reason I am afraid of ventriloquist dolls. I have nightmares about them. I cannot be in the room with them. Clearly, they are all really alive, thanks Rod.

4. THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER- the best way to truly enjoy this episode is to watch it with kids who have never seen it… cover the screen the last few minutes and just have them listen. Have them guess what happens. Then let them watch it- the discussion that follows is AWESOME!

3.THE AFTER HOURS- I would also like to thank Mr. Serling for my fear of mannequins.

When they start saying “Marsha, MARsha, MARSHA” it terrifies me.

2. NUMBER 12 LOOKS LIKE YOU- Great concept, great episode… LOVE IT!!!

1. LIVING DOLL- TalkingTina is scary. SO SO SO very scary. Quite possibly the scariest fictional charactger ever. I hate dolls with blinky eyes because of Tina. I watch this episode fairly often and let me say… I’m pretty sure I get more scared EVERY time!

Happy New Year

Today was my New Year's Day Brunch. I love New Year's Day. Its a time to set new goals and get ready for an exciting year ahead. Today I had the pleasure of spending the day with my wonderful friends. We ate, talked, and hung out.

2010 was filled with great changes. I look forward to 2011 and to see what happens next.

My brunch menu consisted of:

berry amaretto cake

eggs with specks

hashbrown casserole

bacon & sausage pinwheels

fruit

mini chocolate chip muffins

brie apple tarts

banana bread

BlackEyedPea Dip

and... mimosas & bloody marys

Christmas Extravaganza 2010

Last week was Christmas Extravaganza. What is soon to be an annual girls night out/drinking/laughing/eating/shopping extravaganza with my girls from work. These are the same lovely ladies I spring break with to the beach every year.

For Christmas Extravaganza we stayed at the super lovely Embassy Suites in Murfrees

boro. We frequent the ES because of the 5:30-7:30 Manager’s Reception every night. Brandy figures out exactly how many drinks we must have to break even with the room. This occasionally results in falling off picnic tables, inappropriate phone calls to co-workers, killer uno and rummy games, and/or kick ass March Madness brackets… you just don’t ever know.

Christmas Extravaganza also was the place for us to swap gift and they were superb. I felt the need to make a Christmas Mix of my favorite Christmas songs, because what trip of any kind is complete without a “mixtape”.

Below are the songs I selected because they are my favorite Christmas hits.

1. Do They Know Its Christmas- Band Aid—what can top Duran Duran, George Michael, Boy George, U2, BananaRama, Phil Collins, and countless others brought together by former Boomtown Rats Bob Geldof

2. Wonderful Christmastime- Paul McCartney & Wings

3. All I Want for Christmas is You- Mariah

4. Baby Its Cold Outside – Carmen McRae & Sammy Davis Jr.

5. Christmas, Baby Please Come Home- U2

6. I Saw Three Ships- Sting

7. Its Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas- Harry Connick Jr.

8. Sleigh Ride- Ella

9. Winter Wonderland- Harry Connick Jr.

10. Christmas Time is Here- Vince Guaraldi Tio

11. The Christmas Song- Nat King Cole

12. Little Drummer Boy- Bing Crosby & David Bowie

13. Mele Kalikimaka- Jimmy Buffet

14. Christmas in Hollis- Run DMC

15. Funky, Funky Xmas- NKOTB- just because I thought it would be quite comical!

16. Silent Night- Venus Hum

17. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year- Johnny Mathis

18. Let it Snow- Dean Martin

19. A Holy Jolly Christmas- Berl Ives

20. Here Comes Santa Claus- Gene Autry

21. Happy Christmas (War is Over)- John Lennon & Yoko Ono

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!