Random picture update

It's raining....so I've been trying to organize photos, clean, and do other things.  I figured I would post some random pics on here since I've noticed that I haven't done a very good of updating this blog.

Cherry blossom painting!

I went to a painting class at Creative Canvas and Wine in Altamonte Springs.  Voila!  Our painting was  of cherry blossoms.  It was a fun time!  Makes me want to open my own business.

Fiona graduating from puppy class. 

Fiona graduated from her PetSmart puppy training class.  She was awesome, and even scored some extra points for busting out her first trick - "Paw," aka a handshake.

This was Fiona's classmate, Thor.  Super cute and high energy.  Fiona and Thor...

Rose gardens at Leu Gardens, Orlando.

How I have never visited Leu Gardens in Orlando is beyond me.  I could have stayed in the rose garden for the whole afternoon.  It was beautiful, just wonderlandishly beautiful!

Peter Pan mural I helped with for Mandy's nursery.

Mandy is having a baby - baby boy Ethan to be exact!  I drove down to Boca and started to sketch out some Peter Pan characters.  Simon ended up tracing them on to the wall and painting them gray so that they appear to be shadows.  Simon used his architectural skills to draw the building and the London scene.  It's all so perfect!

So there you go, I hope you enjoyed some random snap shots!  Now, back to organizing...

Seven Days in the City

Oh summer, you tricky little thing you.  You get me all excited for vacation and then whoosh - vacation is done and it's back to work.  I recently took a week off from work and headed to one of my favorite places - New York City.  It was fun, but since NYC is so gogogogo, I really feel like I just need to go and fall asleep on a nice sandy beach somewhere to just relax.

I ended up visiting and staying with my cousins.  I was able to go and visit a few NYC sites that I still had always wanted to see, so they let me loose on the city and man, did I walk!  Seriously though, I walked from like 57th street all the way up to 72nd, walked across Central Park, then up to the Guggenheim, then BACK across Central Park and all the way down to 14th St.  All by choice though!

So why did I choose to walk so much?  Well, Central Park is one of my favorite places and I really wanted to visit Strawberry Fields this time.  It's just a part of the park where the "Imagine" (can't find the right word here....sidewalk? symbol?) is located.  And Central Park is so huge that I feel that I uncover new areas every time that I visit.  I saw the Bethesda Fountain this time too.  It was a gorgeous day.  I wish I had a bike to ride!

After walking through the Guggenheim, I walked back over to the west side and visited the Museum of Natural History.  I DID NOT realize how huge this place was.  If I did, I probably wouldn't have gone in because I was so overwhelmed.  I hit up the dinosaurs and then peaced out basically.

Inside the Guggenheim

One of my favorite parts was just going down to the World Trade Center site.  I unfortunately did not get a chance to go inside and view the museum and fountains because I didn't have a ticket.  You have to reserve your tickets online in advance and I tried, but of course all of the tickets were gone ONLY for the week that I was there - so very disappointing.  But I saw the new tower and the visitor center, which was quite emotional.  I look forward to seeing it all completed in the future.

New tower at Ground Zero

During my time in New York, I also visited the Bronx Zoo, went shopping (a little bit), and went to the Puerto Rican festival (talk about feeling claustrophobic on a subway and then even more so trying to get out at 116th street!).  Oh, and I got an ice cream cone from Mr. Softee!!!!!  Hehehehe, this made me so happy.  Mr. Softee drove through my neighborhood in CT all the time.  Yes, vanilla soft serve on a cone with rainbow sprinkles please!!! YUMMY!

One of my favorite parts of visiting though was meeting an animal control officer - Mr. ASPCA as I like to call him.  He's this big, tough-looking dude.  But this guy is so full of life, with a laugh that will shake a room.  He had two dogs that were so incredibly sweet.  He saved both of them.  And he sees some crazy things all across the city - from wildlife to horrible, disgusting cruelty to animals.  When I asked him how he could do his job everyday, he said that he just focuses on the animals.  Not the horrible people...just the animals.  As he put it, "People think I rescue the animals.  But the animals rescue me."  Tears welling up....sigh.  A wonderful person - so glad I met him.

Until next time NYC!

Craft Completed!

I finally completed a craft that I really, REALLY wanted to do: a book page wreath.  I guess I liked it so much because it appeals to my inner nerd and bookworm.  The only problem I had was deciding what book to basically rip to shreds.  That is a painful request for a book lover.  So...I essentially just ended up using an old basic dictionary, nothing huge.  So the bonus is I can increase my vocabulary by just looking at my wreath whenever I want, hehe.  So here's the final product:

So proud of my book page wreath!

It took forever

Lots of glue gun sticks, book pages and burnt fingers later, I have a ruffly, nesty-looking book page wreath on one of my doors.  

Meet Fiona!

I guess if you write a blog, your wish will come true the next day!  I am excited to introduce you to Fiona - Princess Fiona I should say.

I adopted Fiona yesterday at the Fire Station across the street.  Seminole County Animal Services was hosting an adoption event titled, "Furry Friends and Firefighters."  Did the dogs lure me?  Of course, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't also looking forward to maybe adopting a firefighter as well.  Unfortunately, all of the firefighters were inside and never really came out.  But it was probably for the best since I may not have given this little lovely pup much attention.

As I was crossing the street, I first made eye contact with Fiona and knew I was in trouble.  She has these big ears that stick straight up and she was looking right at me.  As I got closer to check her out, I noticed that it almost looked like she had been recently shaved.  The adoption volunteer said she had a non-contagious skin condition that was induced by stress and trauma.  This poor girl is a nine-month old stray and all I can think about is what her life was like before :(  After finding a permanent home and maintaining a grain-free, fish-based diet, her fur should grow in thicker.  But honestly, I love her just the way she is. Anyways, after taking her out and spending some time with her, I was sold.  This dog just couldn't stop giving doggie kisses, and she also put both of her paws on my shoulder as if she was giving me a doggie hug!

She's a tiny bit nervous and skittish, but oh so sweet!  She was freaked out by the stairs but now she walks up and down them like a pro.  She loves her crate, even though she did have two accidents already inside the apartment.  BUT I will give her the benefit of the doubt since it was a stressful day for her yesterday.

So funny thing is that she was living with a foster family prior to me adopting her.  As I was filling out the adoption application, the woman from the agency said that her foster mom had my same last name!  My last name is not super common so I just thought that was awesome.  She was meant to be a part of my family!  Originally her name was Scrappy, but I just didn't like it.  A volunteer said she should have a princess name and then I just blurted out Fiona, as in Princess Fiona from Shrek.  It seems fitting.  So welcome home, Fiona!  You found a forever home, yay!  And I've got a dog back in my life!

Doggie Withdrawals

I love having my own apartment.  It's almost where I want it to be.  The bedroom is still kind of....ehhh.  Definitely need to shop for drapes, which I have learned that I hate.  Everything is going well.  I just really miss my doggies, which are at home with my family.  I debated bringing Jerry with me, especially since I thought he would be happier without Tommy always bothering him.  BUT, I actually think that Jerry would miss him and I know for sure that Tommy would be devastated by not having someone to pull by the ears.  So here I am, dogless for the first time in a long time.  I'm not really sure what to do with myself.

Part of me thinks it's good to live without a dog for awhile, especially as I adjust to having my own place again.  I don't want the dog to start peeing on the carpet, etc. But I can't help it.  I need a furry friend with me here.  I've been looking for a dog to possibly adopt, but doing most of my looking online.  It's sooo difficult!!  I want to take them all home!  I just really need to think about what dog would be a good fit for my lifestyle.  I would love to have a small to medium sized dog that's pretty calm and definitely house-trained.  Another Shih Tzu, Cocker Spaniel, a shelter-mix special??  Ugh, this is painful, difficult, impossible....

Stay tuned.  Maybe I'll introduce you to a new friend soon!

New Digs!

Congratulations to me!  I moved to a new place, and it's all my own.  I mean, it's not something I own since I am just renting, but I consider it "mine."  It's been a long time coming and it does feel good to finally have a space I call my own, and that is close to work.  No more one-way hour long commutes.  Yipee!  After some time posting design inspirations to Pinterest, I finally have made up my apartment to fit my current style.  Below are some shots of the living room.  Funny thing is, I noticed that the same colors I chose to design my apartment in are the same colors I used to decorate this blog - teal and yellow.  Oh well.  I have an awesome mirror that is hung on the wall over the fireplace (I have a fireplace!), but I don't want to post pics of it because I plan to paint the wall gray.  So look forward to some before and after shots.  But the place is so cute!  And affordable!  Some of my favorite features include the french doors, the fireplace of course, wood floors (laminate I think...I don't care, it looks real to me) in the kitchen and bathroom, and a huge bedroom with walk-in closet.  Jackpot!  Okay, back to organizing...

Teal/turquoise, yellow, and gray

The hunt for drapes was so frustrating!

101 Things in 1,001 Days

UPDATE:  1/4/15 - I have obviously not completed all of these things.  However, they will remain on my general list of things I'd love to complete.  I'll give myself some credit though.  I did cross off some more items before posting this update!

I saw that a friend of mine had posted this on her blog and I simply fell in love with the idea!  What 101 things do you want to do in 1,001 days (a little less than 3 years)?  It's harder than it looks.  Don't believe me?  Then you should try it.  Here's my list (don't judge - some items are ordinary, some a bit too idealistic, but all of them - me!)

1.      Sell something on Etsy
2.      Bake an actual cupcake recipe rather than just decorate one
3.      Take a ballet class (like the old days!)
4.      Learn some Italian
5.      Make some yummy homemade guacamole - Delish!
6.      See a Broadway show  - Saw Beauty and the Beast in Orlando - it was awesome
7.      Visit Marco Island and Amelia Island in Florida
8.      Volunteer with Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
9.      Write a book
10.    Get a passport
11.    Get a stamp in my passport
12.    Go strawberry picking
13.    Try ziplining
14.    Be a good sport and attend a UCF sporting event
15.    Visit Mt. Vernon, Virginia
16.    Have my dogs pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen test (I'm being optimistic here!)
17.    Sing at a karaoke bar
18.    Stop biting my nails
19.    Create a piece of art and hang it up somewhere
20.    Decorate my own place
21.    Visit the Florida Everglades
22.    Eat vegetarian meals for a full week
23.    Start attending church again
24.    Visit the World Trade Center memorial
25.    Go to an Orlando Magic game
26.    Try snowboarding
27.    Visit Las Vegas
28.    Take a photography class with my digital SLR camera
29.    Be someone's godparent (pretty please, you guys are all having kids!)
30.    Buy a piece of Disney artwork (since I'm always browsing through the art store anyways)
31.    Get dogs to serve as therapy dogs (or at least one of them)
32.    Donate old business clothes to 'Dress for Success'
33.    Join Kiwanis
34.    Visit a large national park - Yellowstone or Yosemite
35.    Bike the entire length of the Clermont/West Orange Trail
36.    Do something awesome for my 30th birthday - Miami, Broadway shows, Halloween goodness, friends and family, October 2012 was a good month
37.    Visit Chicago
38.    Stay at a Disney resort
39.    See seaturtles hatch and swim to the ocean at night
40.    Present a workshop at a conference - Presented at ASCA this year, woo-hoo
41.    Watch 'Modern Family' from the beginning
42.    Go deep-sea fishing
43.    Make my own coquito
44.    Visit the major national museums in Washington D.C.
45.    Finish my college scrapbook (so that it's done and can finally be put away...)
46.    Revisit Kennedy Space Center
47.    Swim with the manatees
48.    Make pumpkin cheesecake
49.    Get a tattoo....maybe....yes?
50.    Watch five classic movies I've never seen - Working on it, watched 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' - Ehh.., 
51.    Do a cartwheel in public for no reason
52.    Teach a class
53.    Understand the game of football
54.    Become fluent in Spanish
55.    Look into what it takes to open a business
56.    Visit Tybee Island, Georgia
57.    Visit New Orleans again - Just took a group of students here for Alternative Spring Break!
58.    Create a cake, cupcakes, or cake-pops for someone's very special occasion
59.    Purchase a fancy dress
60.    Take a cooking class
61.    Make my own scarf
62.    Get a new pair of glasses
63.    See a ballet other than "The Nutcracker"
64.    Submit a piece of art for 1st Thursdays
65.    Become First Aid/CPR certified
66.    Go camping
67.    Try paddle-boarding
68.    See Winter the dolphin in Clearwater (from Dolphin Tale!)
69.    See Dolphin Tale
70.    Snorkel in Silver Springs
71.    Celebrate New Year's Eve in NYC
72.    Play in the autumn leaves in Central Park
73.    Ride to the top of the Citrus Tower
74.    Remember a really funny joke and tell it well
75.    Host a holiday party
76.    Do something creative/good with my bridesmaid dresses
77.    Drink more water
78.    Return my overdue library book and leave a nice note in the book
79.    Answer the "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind"
80.    Ride a real train somewhere
81.    Go to an estate sale
82.    Buy a lottery ticket
83.    Buy fresh flowers once a month
84.    Attend a midnight premiere of a movie
85.    Don't log in to Facebook for at least one week
86.    Visit the Grand Canyon
87.    Build a butterfly garden
88.    Stay at a Bed 'n Breakfast
89.    See a local community play
90.    Have a picnic at a winery
91.    Read 50 new books
92.    Refinish a piece of old furniture
93.    Visit LegoLand
94.    Get a facial
95.    Donate blood
96.    Visit Leu Gardens
97.    Get a skin test done
98.    Teach Kiwi, my parrotlet, to say a word or sing a song - RIP Kiwi :(
99.     Go to a major league baseball game
100.   Visit Tampa Art Museum
101.   Fall in love with a great guy :)  I can include that right? lol

___________________

So, I have been trying to come up with this list for awhile.  It was a bit difficult, but I can happily report that I have completed item #73.  After almost 17 years of living in Clermont, I never went up the Citrus Tower and it is literally a baseball's throw from our home.  It was really quiet since I was the only person up there.  And I thankfully did not have a freak-out moment since I'm afraid of heights.  I actually did okay.

The Citrus Tower was originally a look-out post for all of the orange groves in the area.  It's amazing to see that all of those groves have been replaced with housing and development.  Take a look:

That was then.  And this is now:

Rolling hills and subdivisions...

I love that this picture says the horizon is 35 miles away.  Well here's one thing I can cross of my list.  I'm excited to see whether I can accomplish most of the things I listed!