30 Day Challenge: The Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeend

Day 30:  A picture

I'm posting this picture for two reasons:

1.  This godforesaken blog challenge is over.  I got really bored with it, obviously.  Note to self:  next time, read the questions BEFORE you start the challenge.  Hopefully I will remember... not that I plan on doing this for a really long time.

2.  George W's book came out today.  I want - no, need - to read it.  I have got to read this book for several reasons.  Politics aside, I find this big dumb animal kind of endearing.  I will mock him until the end of time for it but I kind of enjoy that he makes up words.  Anyway, if anyone reads this gem let me know - I would like to know what I'm getting myself into before hand.

30 Day Challenge: Catch up. Again.

Day 26: A Picture of your family

No.  I've already done this.  But I do have something to tell you.  My whole family is going to be in town for Thanksgiving.  Like both sides of the family.  It also happens to be my grandma's 80th birthday the day after Thanksgiving.  My mom suggested we all take a picture together.  That's fine.  She also suggested that we all dress the same.  Not fine.  Not okay.  Never.  Never ok.  Stupid.  I hate pictures where everyone is wearing the same thing.  While I will go along with the stupid ass idea I will be wearing pretty shoes.  Pretty, loud shoes.  I'm not bringing a back up pair either so my family will either have to accept my shoes or allow me to go barefoot. End of story.

Day 27: Pets

I've talked about this before.  I would love to get a pup.  I would just love it.  I want an older doggy that's potty trained, current on all of his shots, testicularly challenged and preferably he'd know how to feed himself and let himself out when he has to go potty.  Basically I want a prepubsecent boy child.  Unfortunately, I can't take of things.  My neighbor asked me to take care of two potted plants while he was out of town for a week and I killed them.  I took my pet fish, Negrosaurus, on Spring Break and he died.  This is not a good pattern.  I will not / should not be getting pets.

Day 28:  Something that stresses you out

Nothing of any significance stresses me out.  I worry about the really important things in life.  Like where am I going to get cute shoes now that Shoenami is closing?  Or, who is going to clean out all the embarrassing things of my house so my family doesn't have to see it should something happen to me?  The most important thing that's stressing me out right now:  WHO is going to take these jello shots out of my fridge?  I may or may not have barfed a little bit in my mouth when I typed that.  TOO SOON.

Day 29:  Three Wishes

one.  I wish these questions would stop boring me.

two.  I wish I could have a job that consisted solely of blogging, twittering and facebooking.

three.  I wish I had like six billion more wishes to use them on real life things.

30 Day Challenge: Day 26

Day Twanky Six:  Put your ipod on shuffle - 1st ten songs

1. The Doors "Wild Child"
2. Nas f. Puff Daddy "You Can Hate Me Now"
3. Gaga "Speechless" I could {and usually do} listen to this on repeat... singing at the top of my lungs.
4. Jay Z f. Swizz Beatz "On to the Next one"
5. Paula Abdul "Straight up"
6. David Gray "Crazy Beautiful"
7. Billy Joel We Didn't Start The Fire"
8. Bon Jovi "Dead or Alive"
9. Wilson Phillips "Listen To Your Heart" -baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaghahaha
10. Cee Lo "Fuck you"

I'll post a video of a few of these gems when I get home.  Youtube is blocked at work and for very good reason.  Unforunately they don't have a lunch-break exception rule.

30 Day Challenge: Day Twanky Four

Day Twanky 24:  Something You've Learned

I've recently learned that I'm not as horrible of a cook as I originally thought I was! This is only moderately exciting because, well, I still don't really LIKE cooking.  I wanted to teach myself so I could do it if and only if I had to or if I needed to.  Here's what I've made recently... a BIG thanks to Natasha at A Day in the Life - I've stolen all of my recipes from her!

Baked Pecan French Toast

{I left out the blueberries because they were ridiculously expensive.  It was still magically delicious.}

Ingredients

1 french bread baguette-found in the bakery
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 stick plus 1 teaspoon butter
2 cups fresh blueberriesButter 9×13 baking dish; cut 1.5 inch slices and arrange in one layer in the dish 

Whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in bowl and pour over bread; refrigerate mixture, covered, until all liquid is absorbed (8 hours and to 1 day)

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Spread pecans in baking pan and toast in middle of oven. Toss pecans with 1 tsp butter in a skillet in one layer over medium heat, stirring often. Toss with 1 tsp butter

Cut remaining 1/2 stick butter into pieces and heat with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in saucepan, stirring, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake mixture

Bake for 30–40 minutes or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling

Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture

Buffalo Chicken Dip

{I made this for my brother's pumpkin carving party.  He and his friends loved it so much.  He called me while I was at the grocery store this morning and asked me if I was making this for our tailgating party this weekend.  Since I spoil him, I had to make more... I'm going to have to double the recipe though - they went through it THAT fast!}

Ingredients

1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
2 12.5 oz cans Swanson Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1/2 cup FRANK'S RedHot sauce
Celery, chips, and/or crackers

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F
Stir cream cheese in a pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth
Stir in the dressing, pepper sauce, and cheese; stir in the chicken 
Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling
Serve with vegetables and/or chips and crackers for dipping

Cheesy Chicken Rolls

{One reason why I don't like cooking is because I live by myself and everything seems to make WAY too much.  I'm bringing some of this to a co-worker of mine tomorrow... the other leftovers I'm using as a bribe to get my mom over here to hang up my new Henri Matisse print she gave me.}

Ingredients

1 can of Pillsbury crescent rolls
2 chicken breasts - cooked and chopped
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup of milk

Directions 
Separate rolls into 8 triangles
Mix chicken and 1 cup of cheese together
Put a small amount of chicken and cheese on each triangle and roll up as you normally would with crescent rolls
Place in lightly greased casserole dish

Sauce

Mix 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup, 1 cup of cheese and 1 cup of milk
Heat in a skillet and stir until smooth
Pour sauce over the crescent rolls and bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until rolls are brown

My family has been willing guinea pigs for my cooking ventures and I love them for it.  It's cute they are willing to risk their lives to humor me.

OH, OH, OH!  I forgot about one!

I also brought these to my brother's party.  They were also a big hit... pretty time consuming though.  I got this recipe from This Mommy Cooks.  I look forward to trying more of her recipes when I have a little more experience under my belt. They look a little more involved than I'm ready for!

Sweet and Salty Halloween Treats

{I also saw in a magazine that you could put m&ms on them to make them for other holidays.}

Ingredients:

Mini Pretzels {I used the square kind.  You could use the twists but the squares are just so cute.}

Hershey Kisses Hugs {I used the striped kind... no reason - only because they were cute.}

Candy Corn

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place pretzels on cookie sheet, not touching. Unwrap Hershey's Kisses and place on top of pretzels and then place filled cookie sheet in oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes but no longer.You will know they are ready when the Hershey Kisses start to get shiny. Take out of oven and gently place candy corn on top of Hershey Kisses, pushing down ever so gently. Cool and then transfer to serving platter or wrap up as gifts. I actually placed mine in the fridge for a few minutes to speed up the cooling process, and it worked perfectly.

I apologize for my lack of pictures.  The lovely ladies I've linked to have pretty pictures of all of them.  I PROMISE I will get a camera cord.  Eventually.

30 Day Challenge: Day Twanky Three

Day Twanky Three:  Favorite Vacay

I haven't had a legit vacay in quite some time.  I take many a stay-cation to Harbor Town.  My favorite place to run away for the weekend is Iuka.  Mississippi is cute... in a completely backwards kind of way.

In other news, I am beginning to wish that this Challenge had more interesting questions - for instance, most awkward sexual encounter and/or advance.  Now THAT would be a story... another time, dear friends.

30 Day Challenge: Catch up.

First and foremost: four days... only FOUR days until I'm reunited with some of my college lovers.  Warning, Memphis, this can and probably will get very ugly.  On that note, I'm having another party at my house.  Which means more jello shots.  Yum and barf at the same time.  It's hard for me to even think about drinking after this past weekend...

Moving on... let's catch up with this silly blog challenge.

Day 18:  Something You Regret

I try not to regret anything I've done.  If I didn't make all of my bad decisions then I wouldn't have any good stories to tell {or be told, as the case may be}.  That being said, I regret a majority of the hair cuts I had as a child.  Whoever told me it was ok to have length hair BEFORE I figured out what a blow dryer or a straightener was should be waterboarded.

Day 19:  Something You Miss

I miss my friends when I don't get to see them on a regular basis.  That is all.  This is a stupid day.

Day 20:  Nicknames

I have a lot.  My family loves nicknames.  LOVES them.  There's Shannie, Shamrock, Cinderella, Sandy {this is from the time in my life when I wanted to be a dog}, Sissy, SMO {my initials}, Smoop dog, Asian spice, Smizzle, etc... there are a lot more but I seem to be blanking at the moment.

Day 21: Picture of yourself

No.

Day 22:  Favorite City

Right now, my favorite city is Memphis.  It has it's bad parts, sure... but that's what makes the good stuff so awesome.  I love that I can sit out on my patio and people watch.  I love mid-town.  I love east Memphis because they refrigerate ketchup.  I love downtown during the day.  Harbor town is my own little stay-cation.  Orange mound is funny.

30 Day Challenge: Day 17

Day 17: Something you're looking forward to

1. The weekend
2. Halloween parties
3. Tamara from Tampa and all my other friends coming in town
4. UT vs Memphis game
5. Another party at my house
6. Thanksgiving
7. My vacation time
8. Cold weather
9. Possibly going to a Colts game with my pops
10. Drum roll pleaaaase:  GRIZZLIES GAMES!  Season opener tonight, bitches.  BOOM.

30 Day Challenge: Day 16

Day 16:  Dream House

Did you pee your pants a little bit?  Because I definitely just did.  The thought of me being in charge of anything is hilarious.  The thought of me being president, however, is fucking brilliant.  I'd force all the world leaders to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Then we'd have a meeting about how brilliantly creepy the movie is, we'd discuss the possibilities of peace whilst being served Octoberfest {which will be served year-round} by my own oopma-loompas.  Now if that doesn't scream world peace then I don't know what does.

30 Day Challenge: Day 15

Day 15:  Favorite Bible Verse

"Be excellent to each other."

What's that?  That's not in your bible?  Well, dear friend, it's totes in mine.

30 Day Challenge: Day 14

Day 14: A Picture you love

This is my daughter.  Slash my homegirl Shana's daughter who I've taken under my wing.  This a picture of her at this year's Pride Parade in midtown.  She was so excited to be there.  Brea was literally shaking she was so amped about all the "princesses" and the loud music.  The free candy probably didn't hurt.  Then Baby B got two new friends, Cher and X-tina and she about lost it.

All I know is that she is one dope-ass 4 year old and she makes me so happy.

30 Day Challenge: Day 13

Day 13:  Goals

I've covered my long term goals in one of my first posts.  See here.  So today... slash tomorrow... my goal is to successfully cook brunch for my mom, dad, brother and {hopefully} Gracie.  Let me be clear - by "successfully cook brunch" what I really mean is this: 

1.  Cook brunch without having to call the fire department.

2.  Have my guests eat it even if it's horrible.

3.  Have my guests survive, not only throughout the meal but throughout the WHOLE day.  I don't want them to die because of my desire to be Susie Homemaker.

I got my ever so yummy recipe from Natasha over at A Day in the Life.  Check her out.  She is simply adorable and has some really fun posts!  Anyway, my goal for tomorrow is... drum roll please... Blueberry Pecan French Toast.  It seems relatively easy.  I may have just jinxed myself.  But things have not started out so well seeing as I just returned home from the grocery store and realized I forgot the blueberries.  Smooooth, Shannon, very smooth.

I hope all of you are out enjoying this beautiful fall day. Love you, bitches.

30 Day Challenge: Day 12

Day 12:  What you believe



30 Day Challenge: Day Eleven

Day Eleven:  Favorite TV Shows

I'm a very lucky girl and my life lacks drama.  It's because of this that I have a deep love for any/all reality tv.  The people on these shows are absurd.  Name a reality show that focuses on how crazy people are {Hoarders, Jersey Shore, Teen Mom} and I could list thousands of reasons why I adore these characters.

I cannot say no to any episode of Law & Order... SVU in particular.  I have the hots for Stabler.  He's pretty much my boyfriend.  I like Criminal Minds but it gives me nightmares.  My favorite show, hands down, is Modern Family.  I love every single person on this show.  I can't think of an episode that has disappointed me.  I knew I was going to be obsessed from the very first episode.  In case you missed it, here's the exact moment I fell in love:

30 Day Challenge: Day Ten

Day Ten:  Something You're Afraid Of

I'm afraid only afraid of a few serious things.  But those things are boring.  I have quite the lengthy list of things completely irrational things that scare me - so let's go over those.  These are in no particular order...

• Moths
• The dark
• Open doors and/or cabinets
• Clowns
• Midgets {I know.  I'm super politically correct.}
• Motorcycles
• Roaches
• Flying roaches
• Long pinkie nails
• Men with sandals
• Getting wrinkles
• Large, loud crowds
• Walking into glass windows/doors.

That's enough for now.  Love you, bitches.

30 Day Challenge: Day Nine

Day Nine: A Picture of Your Friends

30 Day Challenge: Day Osem

Day Osem:  A Place You've Traveled To

I haven't been so lucky to have traveled outside of the good ol' U.S. of A... yet.  So today I'm going to treat you with the story of my trip to outer space.  Are you excited to see how the aliens live?  I bet you arrrrrrrrrrre!

As I mentioned here, I recently went on a day-cation to the mystical land of Hernando, MS.  I say it's mystical because I understand very little about this place.  For instance, why would you want to live in a town that doesn't have substantial shopping, or at least a Target?  {I'm sure you're thinking this is quite shallow but, my loves, I'm merely saving the economy one dress at a time.  You're welcome, America.}  I understand the allure of small town life.  Iuka, MS holds a very special place in my heart.  But, much like babies, I can only take it in moderation.  Moving on...

Hernando is about 45 minutes away.  Not too far considering it is, indeed, a whole different planet.  {Eat your heart out, NASA.}  With Gracie at the wheel, we were on our way for a beautiful - yet seasonably warm - fall day.  Forty - five minutes, several questionable turns and a lot of laughter later, we finally arrived at Cedar Hill Farms.  We pulled up onto a two lane gravel road and hit a little traffic jam.  Because SOMEBODY hit a tree.  Seriously.  After being directed by a chubby little ginger boy scout who was not having a good time, we made our way up to our destination.  I'll let the pictures do most of the talking from here on out...

Welcome to outer space.

In outer space, they grow gourds.

In outer space, they grow LOTS of gourds.

In outer space, they also grow corn.

In outer space, pumpkins smile.

In outer space, Grace thinks she is taller than she actually is.

In outer space, Terror is relative.

In outer space, I'm an OWL.

In outer space, Grace is a rabbit

In outer space, the restroom situation is questionable.

In outer space, they have alien ponies.

They have the fuzz in outer space.

In outer space, women can't drive and hit trees.

Goodbye far away land!

I'm adding a little tune for your listening pleasure this evening.  It seemed quite fitting.

30 Day Challenge: Day Zes AND Pito

Day Zes:  A picture of something the makes you happy

Essentially every picture I post makes me happy in some way, shape, or form.  I'm so in love with everyone/thing in my life this is particularly hard for me to choose.  So I'm going to throw it old school really quick.  I'm cheating and choosing two.

Family time at Cool Beans

Tamara and me on the Late Nite T

These are some of my best friends from college.  We had a ridiculously good time.  They are some of the best people I've ever met ANNNND Tamara {in the bottom picture} will be coming to see me in November for the UT vs Memphis game!  I haven't seen her in years and I cannot explain to you my excitement.

moving on....

Day Pito:  Favorite Movie

I like lots of movies.  This day kind of bores me.  I'd rather read a book than watch a movie... unless it's a lifetime movie.  I love the bad acting.  I love the terrible story lines.  They are ridiculous and bring great joy to my heart.

30 Day Challenge: Day Five

Day Five: Your Siblings

I have an older bro and a younger sister.  We are all funny.  I think I'm the funniest.  But that's because I think I'm the funniest person alive.  These two chillrens give me a solid run for my money.  Pat {who will be referred to as Broseph in all my following posts} is my older brother.  He's hilarious.  I have never met anyone who didn't love him.  We get along quite well - except when he doesn't answer my phone calls.

Casey.  Well... she's my sister.  I wouldn't say we get along really.  Ok, so we don't get along at all.  We're trying though.  So that has to count?

In related news, Thanksgiving is coming up.  This means that ALL of my family {both sides} will be in town.  What I'm trying to tell you, fellow Memphians, is beware.  We will be wreaking havoc on the streets of Memphis.

I feel like I should introduce to you the other members of the family. I went to my mom's facebook page to look for pictures of us kids and she has more of these two little fuckers than she does of the kids she birthed.  Nice priorities, Les.

This is Rocky.  I think he was named after Rocky from 3 Ninjas but I will always call him Rocky Top because that makes me love him more.  He's the youngest.  Rocky likes long walks on the beach and playing with his rope toys.  He is not good at sharing and has serious emotional problems... probably because his brother is the favorite.  Well, it also could be because he is in love with his brother and tries to "marry him" {the sweet way Grace refers to boy dogs humping things}.

This little charmer is Ziggy {aka Ziggy-mon, Zigger, Jaberwocky, etc}.  He is my parents favorite child. And, without a doubt, my favorite member of the family.  Zig thinks he's a person.  I'm fairly certain he was a president in a past life.  Ziggy enjoys alone time with any member of the family.  Except Rocky.  He likes to snuggle and get slobber all over you.  Ziggy is a huge fan of shaking hands... how else would a former president act?

30 Day Challenge: Day Quattor

Day Quattor:  Your Parents

I have two wonderful parents.  They are mildly insane, wildly bizarre and absolutely wonderful.  Moms and pops {a.k.a. Les and Ricky-poo} have been married for 27 years.  Yowza.  That's a long time.  I don't know how they've lasted that long... I adore them both but they are crazy.  And really annoying, at times.  I'm a perfect mix of the two of them.  I have my mother's strong will and stubborn-ass attitude.  I have my father's sense of humor.  I have both of their dance moves.  Thankfully, I have the mailman's nose.

So cute.  I love them.

30 Day Challenge: Day Tatu

Day Tatu: First Love

{Tatu = Swahili for 3}

Let's be clear about this.  My first real life love were worms.  I loved everything about those creepy, crawly little buggers.  Like I've told you before, I was a weiiiiiiiird, weird kid.

My first human love, I'm talking head over heels, kind of makes you want to hurl love was Nicholas.  {Don't tell Jonathan Taylor Thomas or Leonardo DiCaprio about this... they are likely to be devastated.}  We met at a very strange time in my life.  College.  Freshman year.  At the Delt house.  I was drunk for the whole first two-ish years of our bizarre relationship.  It was on again.  It was off again a lot.  There were very few healthy aspects to what we had but I loved it.  To say our relationship was volatile would be like saying Lindsey Lohan dabbles with drugs.  While it was/is very obvious, it is also a tragic understatement.  We fought ALL. THE. TIME.  Big fights.  Little fights.  You name it.  We did it.  I was convinced Nicholas wasn't treating me like he should be but it went both ways.  I was crazy about this boy.  {Ha, boy.  He used to get SO mad when I didn't call him a man.}  Literally.  I had never / have never / hopefully will never act like I did with him to anyone else in the world.  I was quite whore-id.  Emphasis on whore, obvi.

Nick is great.  And I am, obviously, fantastic.  But together?  Not so much.  All of my friends would tell me this.  A lot of his friends would tell me this.  There was a very intense pull between us.  I couldn't stay away from him too long.  I can't tell you how many times I cried because he hurt my feelings or how many times I deleted his number from my phone {even though I had it memorized}.  I swore him off on at least a monthly basis.

It wasn't all bad, though.  Nicholas and I invented day-ghts.  What is this, you ask?  It's quite simple.  It's an all day date.  We would go to Whole Foods - that's not the name of it up in Knoxville, but I can't seem to think of the real name.  He'd grocery shop for hours.  I'd walk around people watching, then we'd go get something to eat and head home to watch a documentary.  The documentary was his choice, not mine.  It would always be about something that bored me to fucking tears.  Occasionally he'd let me watch my tv shows.  I'm sure he hated it just as much as I did watching things about how the Earth rotating.... zzzzzz.   Sorry, I fell asleep at the mere thought of those shows.  The sweetness would last a few days, then we'd get drunk and all hell would break loose.  I'm leaving out a lot of the embarrassing things we used to do {silly/sweet embarrassing} because I know he reads this and I know people that know him read this and he would lose all street cred if people knew he wasn't the ass he tries to come off as.

But Nick was there for me through a lot.  A LOT.  We still talk every now and then but it's weird to not be as close as we used to be.  For me, anyway.  It's crazy how it's been years since I've seen him and he still knows me better than almost anyone.  It's scary, actually.  Regardless of everything we put each other through, I will always love him.  I miss him and I miss his family {Big Al in particular.  Big is what a man should be... maybe we'll talk about that more another day}.  Since I've moved back to Memphis, Nicholas and I have time to reflect and apologize to each other for being so bad to one another.  He's come to realize that you can't do what he did to me and expect anyone to stick around.  I've realized the same thing.  Growing apart hurts.  Growing up, on the other hand, makes it somehow worthwhile.  Writing this post made my heart a little sad.


Side bar:  After originally posting this, I went through and read some of the blogs posted by other people doing the challenge.  I went through the first TWENTY and had to stop.  Am I really one of the only ones NOT saying J to the Esus or my dad or babies?!?!  Yowza.  I may be in with the wrong crowd.