Move over Betty Crocker

Well just for one night...Baking really doesn't rate very high on my list of favorite things to do. Love to cook, hate to bake. Hate is probably too strong of a word. I just don't really enjoy it - I guess its because its messy and sticky and I'm not a big sweets person.

Anyways my mom decided to give her 8 siblings each a tin of cookies for Christmas so I decided to help and try my hand at baking a few different things this afternoon in my super small kitchen. It turned into a 8 hour process - not sure if that's because I made 5 different things or because I'm just slow at baking. Headed to the grocery store in the late afternoon - when you don't bake, you really don't have baking stuff in the house. Although, I do have the baking tools. KitchenAid Mixer is pretty fun.

Welcome to Shannon's mini-mart

The first thing I tackled was English Toffee. First batch didn't turn out so well (probably because I wasn't listening when Gail gave me the instructions over the phone and of course I didn't write them down).

Next was Magic Bars (Jen's recipe)

Then came Chocolatety Raspberry Crumb Bars. http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=32066

Steph came over to keep me company and mix up some rice krispie treats.

Before I embarked on the final round of sweets, I took a break, and Steph and I went to Candy Cane Lane in El Segundo to check out the lights. So much fun seeing a neighborhood get in the Christmas spirit and go all out to decorate their houses. It's only a block and 5 minutes away so my break was pretty quick. Back to Baking...

Chef Colts gives his approval for my attempt at Beth's Spicy Oatmeal Raisin cookies that just came out of the oven. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beths-Spicy-Oatmeal-Raisin-Cookies/Detail.aspx

My second attempt at the English Toffee. I think this batch turned out okay. We'll see tomorrow morning after it sets. I added some pecan pieces (I wonder if that is okay?).

Sam and Sarah taste tested everything and gave it their seal of approval so I'm guessing it all turned out how it was supposed to.

But....I still don't love baking.

6 inches gone

Hmmmm what could she be referring to....Did she chop off all of her hair? Lose a bit around the waist? Shrink?

Nah I just went to my hairdresser, Lori, and she cut 6 inches off the front and now I have bangs.

Why did I do it?

Well, I've heard that bangs are the rage right now so I guess I'm trying to be trendy (gotta look good when I'm going to work...). Also heard that it makes you look younger but since I still always get carded (and I don't believe in my case its because "we always card everyone that looks younger than 30") I'm not sure that's a good reason. Actually, here's how it happened.

Wednesday afternoon walked in to the Manhattan Transfer Salon where Lori works and as she always does, she asks, "what are we doing today?" to which I always respond, "oh highlights and whatever you want to do". Then we're sitting there catching up (I've been going to her for 8 years so we're pretty good friends) and randomly I ask, "what do you think I would look like with bangs". Seriously, I didn't walk in there thinking I wanted bangs (I really am the most unprepared customer when it comes to haircuts) or even that bangs were the rage or that they looked good on someone else. I guess when you're sitting in front of that mirror, random thoughts just pop out. So anyways, she says, "bangs would look cute, let's do it". She then takes the back of my hair and puts it over the front so I can kind of see what it looks like, but it really just looks like I have a tupee on so that doesn't give me a great sense but as I said before, I'm pretty easy going about my hair so I said, "sure".

And she chopped...




My hair does still have some curl in it but its straight in the above pic since she combed through it alot when she was trimming it. I do think I might be shrinking too - I feel very short in the pic.

Weekend Celebrations

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while. Here's a downpour (can you believe all the rain in Socal???) to make up for it...

So this past weekend was filled with celebrations.

Started Saturday morning with a surprise birthday waffle party for Shelly Zitzslberger (she used to be part of the Outlet before her and her husband, Matt, left sunny CA for cold MN. Anyways she and a few other Outlet alumni were in town for the weekend. I don't have the pics yet but will post a few later.

That evening was the 5th annual Outlet Christmas Party at Adam & Angela Blankenship's house. It was bittersweet for me as this was the last Outlet event that I would be planning with Jen and Diane as one of the "social coordinators". It was well attended and super fun. We rallied (well I forcefully encouraged) for fancy so there were quite a few who Check out the pics.

Here are Jen and I with Adam and Angela. We joked that we looked like we were dressed for a funeral. Good thing Angela was festive with her Santa hat.

Chocolate Fountain Station

The spread of food - Angela and Adam have a gift for hosting and presentation.

This year we had an ornament exchange. Here's Jen getting ready for the fun.

Everyone brought an ornament and hung it on the two trees and were given a number. Halfway through the evening, Jen drew numbers, and they got to go and pick an ornament to take home. Don't forget to check out Jen's blog to find out who won her cool Color Me Mine Outlet Ball.

Steph, Dana and I (sorry Dana figured the frontal pic was more appropriate for the blog)

As I mentioned earlier, I'm stepping down from my leadership role in the Outlet. The rest of the team surprised me with a really cool and personal platter. I love being a part of the Outlet and have loved serving with past and present Outlet leadership team members. I wouldn't be where I am today without God and this church family that he has blessed me with. Here's a shot of the current Outlet Leadership Team, minus Diane as she was at the High School Christmas Party. Check out the cool platter - it says "Thanks for plugging us in - Love The Outlet"

It was pretty exciting that John Mo (right) was at the party on his last night as a bachelor. Dan (left) was in town for the wedding.

Angela, Nickki and Allison looking super cute and dressy next to the revolving Christmas tree (sorry can't tell that from the pic).

We got a bit picture happy at one point and Adam thought up this "let's look fierce" picture.

Billy can't believe that the ornament that Steph picked was beautiful but weighed 10 lbs.

Let's Get This Party Started - Jen rallied the group, moved the dining room table and created a dance floor at Club Blankenship.

The Outlet doing the Electric Slide.

Billy "bringing sexy back" with Hollie and Nickki as backup.

The third and final celebration of the weekend was on Sunday evening at John and Lauren's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception in Yorba Linda.

Some of the guys decorated John's car by blowing up 120 balloons and fun sayings all over the BMW.

Jen was joking around and dancing against these windows at the reception and this picture was snapped and it looked pretty cool. She was cracking me up.

Newlyweds Lacey & Jonathan - included just cuz I thought it was a great picture of them.

Where's Shannon?

Getting over my post Thanksgiving cold.

Joining Facebook - was on a work con call where they said IBM had a presence so I figured I better check it out.

Started a Beth Moore devotional on Jesus : 90 days with the One & Only.

Finishing my Christmas shopping and updating my Christmas Log (yes I keep a spreadsheet, I know scary). I have one gift left to get then its time to wrap.

Watching Christmas movies - The Santa Clause (my favorite), Polar Express, Surviving Christmas, Christmas with the Kranks, The Grinch that Stole Christmas, tivo'd a few Christmas Lifetime movies to watch later.

Hanging with Pooser (Dana & Phil's cat). I think Yogi might be a bit jealous.

It Went 1.5 meters.

It went 1.5 meters, hit the wall and the egg didn't crack (sorry I think I said it had to crack but guess it wasn't supposed to) so she got an A.

Will It Go 1.5 Meters?

Have you noticed that I've gone a bit blog crazy in the past few days? I'm a bit sporatic with this blog thing - no posts for a few weeks and then 4 posts in a few days.

How did you spend your Veteran's Day? I had to work but also got to "help" Sarah with her latest Science project testing Newton's 3rd Law of Motion. She had to make a "Newton Scooter" (aka vehicle) out of scrap materials that will travel 1.5 meters without being pushed. An uncooked egg is attached to the front of the vehicle and must crack but not be crushed against the finish line wall. Total value: 200 points.

Scrap materials (I've learned after 7th grade and a few other projects that you don't have to always go out and buy materials): OJ carton, Sam's skateboard wheels, flag stick, toilet paper holder, duck tape

Here's the finished product after Brigitte and Sarah added their artistic flair.

Distance Traveled is largely dependent on how much the spring in the toilet paper holder is compressed and how fast its released.

Will it travel 1.5 meters and crack the egg? Stay tuned - she tests it today.

The First Of The Season

So not a huge coffee or Starbucks drinker, but I do love their Gingerbread Latte. So had to note my first one of the 2007 Holiday Season. I save up my Starbucks gift cards that I get throughout the year for these 7 weeks.

It's the one Christmas thing I will partake in before Thanksgiving (I'm a huge believer in waiting until after Thanksgiving for decorations, music, etc.). I admit I do start my shopping early if I see something good, but I can't believe how early stores have started "advertising" Christmas.

I've JINX'd them

Die hard sports followers can relate...I have jinx'd the Colts. Usually its Peyton on the cover of Sports Illustrated that jinx's them as they always seem to lose the Sunday following his face being plastered on the cover. Apparently my words in Frankly Plank have enough influence (I can already hear the comments now - "you really think you have anything to do with them winning or losing" - no I really don't but need to find some reason) to have them lose two straight.

Sorry for the delay in scanning the article. It took me a while to figure out my scanner. I realize you need a magnifying glass to read it, but I couldn't seem to scan it any bigger.

So now they have two losses - Patriots and the Chargers.

Jen and I (and a few others) went to The Underground in Hermosa to watch the Sunday Night Game. Jen just got a new pink Peyton jersey (she LOVES pink so if you see a pink convertible VW bug around the South Bay its probably her) which she has ironically worn the last two games as well (maybe that's the reason for the losses). I sported my pink-ish jersey for the photo and until the Chargers scored 17 unanswered points on the Colts. Then I switched back to my blue jersey (of course in the hopes that I could turn around the game).

Here's Steph strangling herself with her hair. She endured 8 hours of football between Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we supported the Florida Gators with Lauren Rogers (alumni) at Tony P's.

She got so bored (after she finished grading papers with Jen) that she decided to "decorate me". I tried to tell her that my mom used to get really upset when I wrote on myself (its the best way to remember to do things).

Thanks to everyone who called, texted, or emailed their condolences on the losses.

Photoshoot

Brigitte's birthday was this past Sunday so Sam, Sarah and I came up with this idea to take some pics of them and put them into a frame. At first they were pretty adamant that I would get one opportunity to take one picture. After bribing them with McDonald's and Pinkberry, I was able to get them for 20 minutes and about 15 pictures (for those with little ones, you may think it gets easier to capture them in a pose and smiling when they get older, but it was still pretty impossible). Anyways Friday after school, we headed down to the El Segundo beach for the photoshoot. Here are the three shots we put in a floating frame.

Sarah's really into hearts and Sam's a good sport.

The sky looks clearer and bluer, but its the same day. I'm sure there is something I needed to do with the time of day, shutter speed and all that, but I'm not really a photographer so oh well..We were going for the "model" pose here (this one was Brigitte's favorite).

Sam's going to kill me for this one, although he decided to do that funky thing with his shirt. Oh well his friends don't read my blog.

Anyways, Brigitte loved the birthday gift. If you truly want a professional photoshoot, I'm probably not your photographer.

Check It Out

Check it out...I'm quoted in this week's El Segundo Herald (should have hit your doorsteps this morning or if you live in an apartment complex like myself, its a pile of soggy rolls of paper that might resemble flyers because its only 20 pages that the sprinklers have drenched) on page 6 of Frankly Plank.

So how did I come to be quoted...A few weeks ago as I was reading through the El Segundo Herald (I must confess that this is the only newspaper that I read, although I do get the LA Times Thurs - Sun for the ads and coupons), I noticed that there was an article written by Duane Plank, one of my apartment neighbors. You know me...had to read the article so that the next time I saw him, I could say, "hey saw your article, it was great". Anyways turns out, his humor about sports is pretty funny so I've been reading it every week since to support my neighbor. As he mentions in his article this week, I did corner him and ask him why he never writes about my beloved Colts.

Anyways grab the Herald when you get a chance and check it out!!!

For those not of the 16,000 circulation (I found a random website that had this listed, along with the fact that the paper was started in 1911), I'll scan the article and post it later.