Rabbit trails

"Well, if you can't tell that my blog has been updated, then you must be blind.  And if that's the case, you probably aren't reading my blog at all. In fact, you can't even read *this* sentence, unless you have a website reader.  Do they have those?  That's a good idea if they don't."
If you have never talked to me in person before, that is what I sound like.  Rabbit trails and random ideas.

Another rabbit trail...I found this piece of bread that
looked just like a bunny!

Anyway, my blog looks different.

I thought about changing my blog a little while ago and decided to do so yesterday.  I've worked on the new design for about four hours now, and I think Amos has worked on it for an hour, too.  He's very good with computers, especially with the help of google.  Ahhhhh, google.  What would we do without you?
Amos recently redesigned his own blog.  Today I saw part of a post that he is writing, and I am eager to read it, whenever he finishes it. Amos was writing about a chapter of Nehemiah that our pastor covered a few weeks ago.  It should be good!

So, there are some changes to my blog, and I thought I would explain them.

• I decided to go with a blue theme because I like blue.  I also like green.  The blue, green, white, and dark gray all look good together, so that is my color scheme!
• Amos helped me with the images.  He put the pictures in the blog title together into a collage.  I took each of these pictures on different trips to foreign countries.  I'll explain the pictures in another post.  He also helped me with the background image.  He found the point in the html text where I could paste my own picture.  I kept pasting pictures, trying to find one that worked.  I finally cropped a picture that I had taken in India and pasted away!  It looked really good on my computer, but Amos couldn't see it on his.  He fixed the photo for me, I pasted it one more time, and it's all good!
• I split up my links into two side bars because I liked the look, plus I didn't like having one really long side bar.
• I made the posting area wider.

I hope you like the changes!  And if you are blind and your website reader is dictating this post to you, I hope that you can visualize my blog and that you like it, too. ;)

Pet peeves

Happy flowers to break up the negativity

I can't say that I really like the word "peeve", but oh well, I'm going to use it anyway.  I know this is a strange post, but I don't want to try to force something thoughty right now.  Soooooo, a list of Jennica's pet peeves. :)  Some of them are understandable, some of them are weird, and some of them are silly.  Some of them are probably also unreasonable, but...oh well. :)

Pet Peeves
-Frizzy hair
-Movies where the heroine's life is suddenly transformed for the better when she gets rid of her naturally curly hair and goes to straight!
-Slow drivers who won't get over
-Whining
-Kids who don't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
-Expensive essentials
-Naked babies (Why do you want people to see your kids without any clothes on???  I don't get it.)
-Moms who think they are teenage girls still

I'm sure there's more, but that's all for now!  Sorry for the boring post.  I WILL write something more interesting soon. ;)

Why I don't like (most) chick flicks

My roommates were watching a chick flick yesterday, and quite honestly, I found the movie very annoying.  The movie was "Bride Wars" with those two girls...ummm, Anne Hathaway and Whats Herface... (I have to look at the box) oh, Kate Hudson.  I was taking a nap in my room for part of the movie, I watched little bits here and there, and then I hid in my room with a book.  So annoying.
Now don't get me wrong, I do like some chick flicks.  I like "Sweet Home Alabama," "The Women," and "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton," plus a few others.  I like those three each for a different reason, but  that's beside the point.

Here's why I don't like (most) chick flicks:
1. The girls are almost always stupid.
-In "Bride Wars," the girls attack each other in mean, spiteful ways just to get what they want.  And then they make up at the end (of course) and nothing has changed (really?!).
-In "Leap Year," Amy Adams keeps assuming that the nice guy is doing nice things for her just to get something from her.
-Somehow the bad girls and/or bad guys turn good, and because of it, they get the person they want.
2. The movies are not realistic.
-You can't just pick up where you left off; there are a lot of hurt feelings to work through even after you forgive someone.
-There is no such thing as fairy tale romance.  Love takes work.
-The "perfect guy" does not exist.
-The "perfect girl" does not exist.
-You never see the hard, boring, day-to-day stuff in chick flicks.
-One incident changes everything.
-You meet someone and one week later get married.
3. The girls in the movies are not realistic.
-Everyone has bad hair days.
-No one can be that cute, that poised, that friendly, that whatever, all the time.
-I never want to meet the girls in those movies because they are usually jerks.
4. Chick flicks can make you discontent, if you let them.
-Why can't my life be like that?
-Why can't I look like that?
-Why don't they have any problems?
5. Chick flicks nowadays tend to have sketchy scenes.
-Apparently you can't know if you like someone/if the relationship will work unless you sleep with them.
-Apparently no one is interested in watching a sweet movie if it doesn't have some scene in it.
-Apparently girls like seeing their counterparts engage in this behavior?
-Apparently this is normal and not something to be ashamed of.  Am I the only one who squirms at this stuff?

I think chick flicks are annoying because...
-that will never be me.
-that is not real life.
-the characters are stupid.
-I think about them too much.

Anyway, this is not very carefully thought out and it sounds like I'm ranting, but that's my input. :)

Tuesday

Well, it's Tuesday.
It does not feel like Tuesday, but it is.
Yesterday, I thought it was Saturday.
It was not.
As long as I don't forget important things like I have to tutor today, Dr. Halstead needs his pictures by Sunday, and I need to e-mail some people, I suppose I'll be fine.
Happy Tuesday!

Nephew

Hello, readers, I would like you to meet my nephew, Ethan David Byers.  Isn't he cute?!

Awwwww, so cute!

This is Ross and Audra's little baby.  He's two weeks old today!  Ethan likes to sleep, but we got a few pictures with his eyes open.  He will probably have brown eyes because both Ross and Audra have brown eyes.

Amos and I got to hang out with Ross, Audra, and Ethan last week.  While Audra was busy and Ross was taking a nap, Amos and I went to the store and got lunch for everyone.  When we got back, I was in the restroom (TMI, I know), but I heard Audra talking to Amos.  I came out to see my very tall boyfriend holding the very small baby. It was cute. :)

Hangin' out with Amos

Later Audra's mom came over to help out a bit.  Amos had never met Audra's mom, and when she walked in, he was still holding Ethan.  He didn't volunteer to let her hold Ethan, so she was stuck talking to this guy she'd never met before who was holding her new grandson and not giving him up! I thought it was pretty funny!

Because I live six hours away, I won't be able to see him as much as I'd like to.  When he gets bigger, though, we're going to go on some adventures.  Actually, right now he is small enough to fit in a suitcase...hmmmmm... ;)

Hangin' out with Aunt Jennica!

Cooking...

So, I was thinking of sharing a recipe with you, but then I thought, "I don't want to write out all the steps, make sure I have the correct proportions, test the recipes again to make sure I did it right, edit, re-edit and re-re-edit the recipe, etc."
Instead, I thought I'd just give you my cooking ideas with the ingredients listed and let you experiment with the proportions, process, temperature, cook time, etc.  Hopefully it doesn't irritate people that I'm not giving instructions.
So here we go!  I have TWO recipes to share with you.  Please let me know if you try either of these. :)

Honey Ginger Chicken
-Asian food-

Olive oil
Chopped bell pepper

Chopped onion
Cubed chicken breast
Soy sauce
Finely chopped raw ginger
Water
Honey
Salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Corn starch

Non-Traditional Grilled Cheese
-American food-
French bread/ciabatta bread/roll
Butter
Sliced Monterey Jack cheese
Sliced onion
Sliced bell pepper
Rosemary

Again...

Today I am reminding myself that
contentment
is something to be
learned,
worked at,
and fought for.

Sometimes with milk, usually with honey, always with sugar

Well, I'm sitting here with an Agatha Christie mystery and a glass of chai, and I was thinking, "I really like 'beverages.'"

I'm not sure why, but I really like different things to drink.
Here are some of my favorites:

Coffee - it needs to have milk and to be sweet and strong
hot, cold, frozen, lattes, mochas (but not too strong on the chocolate), cappuccinos, macchiatos

Tea - it needs to be sweet and strong
iced tea, Thai tea, black tea, Ceylon tea, chai, fruit flavored tea, some herbal tea, sometimes with milk, usually with honey, always with sugar

Smoothies - they need to be sweet (do I see a theme?)

I mean, I like real chai

yogurt, mango, strawberries, fruit juice, pineapple, berries, etc.

Lemonade - it needs to be sweet and sour
fresh lemonade, strawberry lemonade, raspberry lemonade, peach lemonade

Things I do NOT like to drink:
Weak coffee or tea
Powdered lemonade mix
Soda (occasionally I like it with pizza...but that's about all)
Green tea
Caffeine

And I'd just like to say, "Sometimes with milk, usually with honey, always with sugar" sounds like a great title for a cooking blog. :)
I like it. Anyway.

Travel bug...

Well, I'm back. From India AND from San Diego!
India was awesome.
San Diego was awesome.
NorCal is going to be awesome.
Today my nephew Ethan was born!  Amos and I will be headed up to NorCal to see him next week!  I've seen some pictures of him, and he's very cute.
Anyway, for some reason I have not been very motivated to write since I've returned from overseas.  Never fear, I will pick it up again...just probably not today. ;)
In other news, I applied for a teaching job here in SoCal. Please pray that I will get it if it is God's will!!!  Looking at it from my standpoint, it seems to fit my needs and situation really well.  Please pray, if you think of me!
Other than that, have a good Thursday!