Summer catch-up, Part Two!

With the month of June having flown by, July was going to give me no reprieve!

Over the 4th holiday, I flew to Michigan with Tanner and his family for a fun and lake-filled week. Excellent weather, great company, fantastic food and learning secret family recipes proved to be a great way to spend the 4th. Not to mention the 280* view of incredible fireworks all along the lakefront. I like being around people with money.

World War: Paddleboat. "PADDLE, PAAAAADDLE!" We made it nowhere.

I'm on a boat...and yes, I had my flippy-floppies.

The week when we came back, Tanner and I planned to do a juice cleanse. My work buddy Molly and her fiance had recently done a 3-day basic cleanse and felt just amazing! So...we decided to hop on the train. To be fair, there were both pros AND cons.

1) It was pretty tasty but
2) It was hard not to EAT for 3 days, granted
3) I did feel very clean on the inside after all was said and done.

I dropped a few lbs and I felt healthier at the close, but I will tell you if you're thinking about doing this that you are going to pee a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Like, I thought I had cornered the market on pee breaks for non-pregnant women but I knew nothing. NOTHING! Bottom line: I do not intend to ever do a cleanse again however I do intend on adding juices into my life.

This one was my favorite and tasted like horchata! YUM!!!

A week later, the weekend was FINALLY HERE for the summer float of 2013. With Molly and Kevin in tow, Tanner and I met up with my buddy, Skaife, and his 22 deep crew...yes, 22 people. And an epic float was had with new besties made. What a trip!

Tbot and Bbot.

Kev

Work represent! Amy**, eat your heart out. Our ham sammies and watermelon were spectacular. Not to mention the liquid portion of the trip. Water...

**Sidenote: I was informed of the devious plot you concocted with Molly and just know it was an epic fail. You can try again in a few weeks at the dinner party. BUENA SUERTE!

There went my summer. August has already started as a blur but I look forward to every day's new adventure!

DiY'ing - Part 2

Deodorant Ingredients/Recipe (approx. 1.3oz.):

1)1.7fl oz spray bottle from CVS
2) Frankincense oil: 10 drops
3) Lemongrass oil: 10 drops
4) Lavender oil: 10 drops
5) Witch hazel to get to approx 1.3 fl oz.

Why these oils:
Frankincense: Anti-cancer properties and encouraged to be used in an area of the body with numerous lymph nodes...don't try to drink it.
Lemongrass: Anti-fungal/bacterial (and boy does it smell like a fresh spring day!)
Lavender: Eliminates waste and has calming, anti-inflammatory properties

Cost breakdown:
Container = ~$1
Frankincense oil = $28.25 (hot tamales!)
Lemongrass oil = $7
Lavender oil = ~$12

vs. one bottle of Crystal all-natural roll-on deodorant: $3.99 --- BIG DISCREPANCY

However, in each of these essential oil bottles there are hundreds of drops or more. While my Crystal roll-on deodorant lasted me for 3 months, these ingredients will last far longer.

Drum roll please....

I did NOT like this at first. It teased me with an epically delicious fragrance that made me want to go spray-crazy but turned out to be quite the weakling. Mind you, I'm a mighty sweater and tend to break through the best of deodorants so I don't know why I thought this would work right away.

Oh wait, yes I do...I believe in the almighty power of essential oils!

After a few uses I realized, that with a full day of work and then a workout, I was going to eventually knock someone out in the weight room. Fixes needed! I went back to the drawing board and thought about what I could do to improve the situation. Ah-ha! Add more essential oil drops!

I grabbed my now partially depleted bottle (I tried to spray a lot on in hopes it would work, #fail) and added several more drops of each of the oils.


Drum roll me again...


Ta-da! Far more successful! Mind you, I'd steer clear as I raise the 20lb bar above my head in a squat at the end of a long day, but otherwise, my pits feel great! Plus, spraying that delicious concoction in the morning is better than any air freshener I've used before. So refreshing!

I have continued to use this unless I know I'm going to be around guests late in the day or am showering in the morning after the gym (it doesn't travel well...see a trend here?).

I'm happy with the new recipe mix and will absolutely continue to make and use this product. I also think that attempting this in the middle of a hot, humid summer wasn't the smartest of plans!


PS. The website I obtained this recipe from (as linked above) makes me really happy and takes me down a deep, deep DiY rabbit hole that I LOVE getting lost in. There's so much you can do around your house for far less $$$ than any store bought product AND it's far more natural and less harmful to you and yours! Happy DiY'ing!

Summer catch-up, Part One!

It's been a strangely hectic few months filled with family, friends and lots of fun. Let's share, shall we?

I kicked off the summer at Free Press Summer Fest and got to see a slew of fantastic artists. No pictures, sadly, but just know it was epic. The weather on Sunday was perfect after a mid-day storm and I cannot WAIT for next year!

The next weekend, I stuck to my musical guns and finally got to see Mumford & Sons in concert. I am so in love with them it's sometimes frightening. Their music is stunning, beautiful, moving and even more incredible live than any studio recording could EVER accomplish. It was a great weekend with Tanner and my good friend Jess and her sister.

Maria's Taco X-press and it was DELICIOUS! Plus, unlimited horchata...dangerous.

Also a fan.

Visiting the Capitol! I finally went inside, woohoo!

B-e-a-utiful!

My boys!

Main squeeze! Plus it was a great concert with AWESOME weather. Truly lucky!

One of my many attempts at a selfie of us in front of the original Kerbey Lane ON Kerbey Lane, boom. #winning

Maintaining the status quo (get ready, this is big time foreshadowing), the following weekend I traversed on a nice warm evening to Miller Outdoor Theater and watched...

With my great friend Silva next to me, we sang the night away and trust me when I say, the two leads were FANTASTIC. We were blown away EVERY time they sang and danced. Stick to the status quo!

You'd think that three weeks of back to back music sessions would warrant a break...but no ma'am, that is far from the case considering how badly I desire living in a musical. Silva and I met up once again, but this time it was for a marathon of musical movies at my abode with a delicious dinner cooked by hers truly. Boom!

Yes, we watched HSM again, but only skipping to each of the musical numbers.

Ba-dee, ba-dee, ba-dee, that's not all, folks! Hold on to your hats for the fabulous ongoing month of July next time!

DiY'ing - Part 1

I've been on a kick for quite a while now to alter what I put on and in my body. Unfortunately, for the latter half of that statement, this still includes cake, brownies and ice cream. They're so tasty!

But as far as ON my body goes, here's what I've taken upon myself to tackle recently:

Face moisturizer
Laundry detergent (clothes go on my body!)
Deodorant

 
Today let's chat about my successful...face!

Face Moisturizer Ingredients/Recipe (approx. 1oz.):

1) 1.oz container
2) My base oil (2/3): Grapeseed oil
3) My bonus oil (1/3): Tamanu oil
4) My essential oil (8 drops): Peppermint oil

Cost breakdown:
Container = $1 at the grocery store
Grapeseed oil = $7 at the Greek Festival
Tamanu Oil = $20
Peppermint Oil = $8.25

$36.25 vs. one bottle of moisturizer, same fl. oz. = ~$35


Do I like it? Yes. Do I prefer it to store-bought? Yes (most days)!

My reasons: natural ingredients, I love the feeling of the peppermint as it cools my skin, I feel like it cleared a bit of my rosacea up, price

My dislikes: it smells odd (it's oil, duh), it goes on oily to the point you're concerned it won't absorb but it does after a bit, there's no SPF in it.

My improvements for next time:
1) Use a better container the first time around. I used an old night cream screw top container at first and it made for grabbing a good amount of moisturizer quite difficult. I transferred this to a click top container and I've vastly preferred using that. However, it doesn't travel well. Still gotta figure that one out...
2) Use more peppermint: 10 drops vs 8. I think I'd appreciate a little more tingle.

WINNER: au naturel...how, you ask? Because the amount of oil I used in this container leaves me with the ability to make 3-4 more batches. Cost breakdown per bottle if I make 4: ~$9/bottle which lasts several months.

I will definitely maintain this little gem and will eventually figure out the traveling bit...

Stay tuned for more DiY'ing!

My first big project!

A few years ago my mom, in all her kooky wisdom, picked up a nice looking piece of furniture headed to the garbage heap from one of our neighbors in the 'hood. Great find, mom!

The desk had been worked on at some point so it wasn't the original antique it was purported to be but the mirror was original, along with the internal cubby boxes and the drop leaf chain. I didn't mind the wood veneer I saw and was happy to be gifted with it about six months ago. The "tiger grain" was my favorite part and I knew I had to keep it somehow, hence NO PAINTING.

But there was one drawback: it was golden oak. Bright, glossy, and entirely 1980's and I knew it had to go. I began the plan with my dad for the spring: "we" would sand and refinish the piece.

"We" meaning me with my dad as manager/supervisor.

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shiiiiiine.

Feed me, Becca!

 Fast-forward to a lovely spring weekend, Mother's Day weekend (hey two birds, meet one stone!), and I picked up my sandpaper and new Finish, Dark Walnut, to get the process started.

Readers, here's the mantra you should learn regarding sanding:

"Sand and sand and sand some more until you think you're done. Then you sand again."

3/4th's of the way through sanding this bad boy burned out. Thanks for the laughs and the love since 1976 (approximately). Ya done good, buddy boy...

After constructing a new peg leg for the back side of the desk for stability...

You betcha I used a saw!

Measuring tapes are your friend and the supervisor has a good handle on this part. I got the camera skillz.

We moved on to...oh, that's right, nothing, because on top of taking the time to saw and sand the new leg, I sanded for more than 4 hours on the desk and drawer and it was suddenly late and the sun was fading fast. Alas, the desk would be completed the next day! (Or so I thought...)

No picture can ever capture the numbness that comes with using a sander. I swear my bones vibrated.

Finally "done". Let's dissect this picture: 1) See the rays of sunlight from the lovely SETTING of said sun. 2) Look at the darker streaks still showing on the front of the drop leaf, these will show up later. 3) She's not dusty, she's very, very pale. Getting down to natural wood was almost achieved and that's the goal! Lighter is better.

I woke the next morning bright and early and my dad and I mapped out some plans for the staining part of the fun. With a delicious breakfast for Mom under our belt, we set about finishing the desk with Mom as the new supervisor. Very encouraging and uplifting!

Hippie scarf intact, oversized gloves check, dark stain on! Being consistent in application is really difficult and does require a good deal of patience!

I mentioned patience in the caption above. I should also mention you need to NOT be anal or OCD or a perfectionist as a first-time stainer. You will give yourself an anxiety attack.

I was too delicate in some spots, too forceful in others. I ran in different directions and had too little/much stain on my cloth. Stainin' ain't easy, y'all. But I have to say, with just one coat of this new finish, the desk was looking mighty fine to me. I finished staining the whole piece and applied a second coat a few hours later. My dad and I moved the desk to the garage where it would reside to dry for another week.

Look how pretty she is! And how happy her new owner is, you can barely see my eyes!

In the interim, I found semi-gloss/matte sealant at Ace Hardware (good ol' Ace), Fromby's brand. That's just fun to say.

I arrived early afternoon and set about sealing the desk. Talk about a fast and easy process! But wait...there's more waiting and dry time to be had. Well, rats! I guess I'll be picking this up on Memorial Day!

Thar' she blows! Happy new home with a happy new color and a happy new owner.

Now, here are some visual details behind the muck-ups and learning curves:

It's not as easy to tell in a photo but because the new back leg was an unfinished piece of wood to begin with, the stain went on only once and came out a bit darker than the rest of the piece. All ok considering she's a WIP in terms of learning!

Hello bubbles! This was caused by too little sanding. I did not remove all of the original finish and sealant so the new stain dried over it poorly. Just adds more character in my opinion! I told you you'd see these dark streaks show once again!

Last, but not least, with an enhanced brightness, see my true handiwork show in the finish. I added too little stain, dragged my rag down and then went back and added more and moved about again. Never go over finish right away because it dries pretty quickly. My dad tried to buff the weird lines out and this is the final result. Honestly, I kinda like it! This piece truly does have character by my hand (and my padre's) and for that I love it!

In all, this was a really great process to learn about sanding, finishing and sealing, not to mention sawing and screwing. I got to use the screwdriver, woo! (No picture proof but trust me it was awesome.) I fully intend on purchasing a new sander and finding new pieces to tackle in the future. I know my furniture will (probably) never look top quality but so long as it looks nice enough and is sealed to last forever, I'm a very content owner!

Planes, trains, busses and bikes

Had we gone on a boat, we would have traveled by every current means possible on this trip. Next time, next time...

Uncounted months ago, my friend Jess and I decided to go on a trip together. We started small, "Let's go to DC!" which progressed quickly to, "Well, why not take the train to NYC, too?"

Sure, let's visit two of the busiest and most tourist driven cities in these United States. And we can totally do it in 5 days. We got this.

Off I go with my sister from another mister!

Well, yeah, we did got that. Surprisingly well, in fact. We did museums, we saw the monuments, we ate locally and made new friends late at the dive bar (hilarious scenario) and then we got food poisoning got on a bus to NYC (go Mega or go home) and hit Broadway, Times Square, Central Park and a grocery store for crackers. How we both survived 11+ hours of biking and untold miles, neither of us know, but we did! And it was fun!

Our home for the DC leg of our trip.

Visiting the Capitol building.

I think the best and easiest way to sum up what turned out to be one of the most fun trips I've ever been on is in a "Best of" listing:

Best fall down the subway steps: Jess

Best bike bruise: Becca (NYC)/Jess (DC)

Please note, no bruises occurred in the taking of this photo. This was in DC and I already told you who won THAT contest.

Best epic display in a Metro station: Becca

Best use of iPhone: Jess (to be fair, I don't have one, but hers was awesome)

Best map reading: Tie. Outside of one slip-up, we kept each other going in the right direction the rest of the time despite some issues with arrows and Up vs Downtown...the list goes on. But we succeeded!

Best sketch deal: Jess (hey Canal St.)

Best food: Founding Farmers in DC (but I'm pretty sure this is the place that gave me food poisoning, ftw)

Best weather: Tie. NYC/DC! It was epic!

Perfect evening to bike!

Incredible sunset at the Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin.

Central Park!

 Best biking: DC (far friendlier than NYC and who doesn't love the beauty of the "mile")

In all, I am so grateful for my friend, Jess, and I knew from the beginning of planning this trip that it would be a smooth, fun, carefree and stress-free trip. Lo and behold, I was spot-on. We navigated Metro and the Subway, we biked around DC and Central Park, we visited monuments and famous sites in both cities and all while asking, "Where do you want to go?" and responding. "I don't care" in unison. For a trip begun on a whim without timed planning or specific stops, outside of a few, we managed to shove two beautiful cities into 6 days of travel.

And despite being sick for two days of this trip, I still managed to have an incredible time on this trip and I cannot WAIT to do it again. Where to next, my friend?

Catch-up! Ketchup?

I have done an abysmal job of maintaining a steady posting stream and I'm only doing myself a disservice (considering there are very few others who read this besides myself...and maybe my mom). I've striven to post on a regular basis to keep my writing skills sharp, my vocabulary broad. Boom, #fail.

So here we go! Let me catch you up on March and part of April real quicklike.

At the beginning of March, the UST/PwC crew made our way to the rodeo for a nice afternoon in the very brisk, chill wind to consume fried delicacies (Oreos are special) and ride carnival rides (Berserkmoes is my ride buddy!) and check out the really smelly animals (yes, I stepped in manure).

Bbot and Tbot

Apparently using this as a landmark was idiotic considering there were four of them throughout the fairgrounds.

Ride buddy!

A quick side note to my awesomeness: I managed to wrangle a dead possum out of my backyard. Yeah, an actually dead one, not just "playing". I did my dad's bee/ocean dance and grimaced and made funny noises and finally said, "No one else is going to do this. No one else is here," so I got serious and made it happen. Never again, please!

Mischief managed.

To describe me as "squeamish" would be an understatement.

For two separate weeks in April I got to dogsit! And my phone promptly blew up with pictures of Bear. Bear and Kyle. Oh babies of all makes and models, why must you be so cute?

A very contented houseguest.

Soooomebody escaped their kitchen jail. And then left all their white fur on my dark brown couch. Sigh.

Get that camera out of my FACE. Ooooh no, sir, I will do no such thing. I suffer...you suffer.

Eat him up!

Over the next few weeks, G and S's wedding became top priority with several weekends of fun showers and then capping it all off with a fabulous wedding (and one really gorgeous bride!). It was such a treat to see this group of girls from UST days so many weekends in a row. With several of them bearing babies and one who moved umpteen thousand miles away (Ok, Ft. Worth, but who's counting?) it can be really challenging to gather the group together to catch up. Boy, did we get spoiled! I won't see these ladies again until JUNE. But, at least scheduling three months in advance gives you something to look forward to!

Franya!

We clean up pretty nicely!

If you don't go "He's sooooo cute" you need to get your eyes checked. I love my little Landosaurus. His parents are pretty boss, too.

Look at that gorgeous bride! Radiant is the best way to describe her. Love these ladies!

I mentioned scheduling events months in advance has it's advantages. Who knows how long ago, my brother, sister-in-law and I decided to schedule a bowling date for Annabelle's first time. It was HILARIOUS. The boo just walks in like she owns the place and proceeds to take it all in stride. She figures out what to do and when and has a great gallop/walk on her way up to the lane. This girl is too funny!

Mid-gallup.

Eat her up!

I didn't get a good picture of it, but everytime she rolled the ball down the lane she threw her hands up in victory.

Another such situation was with my friend, Stacey. We planned a tour of Blue Bell and an afternoon of shopping in January...for April. The weather was more perfect than we could have asked for and the tour of Blue Bell was great! If you haven't been before, I highly recommend taking a day trip to see it. Not only are the facilities really cool and the tour interesting, the little town of Brenham is ADORABLE. There's a great little main street with shops (not just antiques) and a great cafe with probably the most delicious Dutch Apple pie I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. What are you waiting for??

"Moo mooooooo, moo moooooooo"

I have really pretty friends. And ones with good taste...we both loved this old truck!

This picture practically captions itself: us at the cafe!

And to cap off these wonderful two months (prior to my big awesome vacation) was a celebration of the union of my cousin and his new wife who eloped in Paris in January. It was a great family event and the weather was perfect for breezing in and out of the house as appetizers floated past.

"Bread so that this house may never know hunger. Salt that life may always have flavor. And wine that joy and prosperity may reign forever." It's a quote from It's a Wonderful Life and I couldn't resist gifting their new household with this!

The last update for April is coming soon! Can you stand to wait? Because I'll probably end up posting it right after this so your wait time is considerably short. Or WILL I? Dun dun duuuuun!