Summer Bucket List 2011

I'm excited for this summer! It's been a long, busy year since I graduated from university. I'm officially debt-free, and I feel like a huge burden has been taken off my shoulders. I have resolved to have lots more fun and not bend over backwards working so hard. So I decided to create a summer bucket list.

- Hot Air Balloon Ride
- Swamp Tour
- Canoe once a month every month the whole summer!
- Ride a cow (or mechanical bull...or a horse...something...)
- Play paintball
- Camp at the river
- Play golf
- Drink something (virgin) with an umbrella in it!
- Ride in a crawfish boat
- Eat crawfish (more than once)
- Ride a tandem bike
- Sew a quilt
- Go on a picnic
- Catch fireflies in a jar
- Get a henna tattoo
- Conquer a fear (hold a tarantula maybe?)
- Do a chinese fire drill!
- Plant a tree
- Learn to juggle
- Get a stamp in my passport
- Gamble
- Read Anna Karenina in Russian!
- Take the GRE!
- Tell someone "no!"
- Milk a cow
- Eat caviar and oysters
- Test drive a new car

That's what I have thus far. I might add more to it. Summer is longer in Louisiana. It starts earlier and ends later than other places (my definition of summer is the hot season....). If ya'll have any suggestions--just holler. ;)

Waylon's 19th Birthday! Yea!

For Waylon's 19th birthday I wanted to do something special since it was his first birthday that we would spend together (he's always lived in Georgia). So I decided to have some brother-sister bonding time with him and cook for him! He's allergic to lots of stuff--but I had a few recipes up my sleeve that would do just the trick!

They say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach! My brother already loves me, but it's permanently solidified now. ;) He enjoyed the food. And he even called my torte "gourmet!" Oooo-la, la!

Beef Taco Ring!

Can I please cook for everyone's birthday?

Artistic, eh?

Waylon really liked his birthday present!

Introducing the Orange Dream Torte. Straight from heaven.

This torte was SO perfect...well, the taste was. ;)

Waylon LOVES citrus fruits!

The Easy Accent Decorator is SO much fun to use!

I'm quick on my feet! I totally forgot to get candles for the cake, and of course, Grandma didn't have any. So I improvised...just a little. ;)

Blowin' out the candle!

Waylon and I

Waylon and Grandma Thomas

My FIRST Show

Mrs. Alisha was gracious enough to host my very first-as-a-consultant Pampered Chef Cooking Show! It was SO much fun. I wasn't very nervous at all! It just seemed to run smoothly and felt very natural. I guess that's a good thing since I have plenty of years of cooking ahead of me! ;)
Check below for a list of the appetizers, entrees, and desserts--and their recipes!

Kris and Mrs. Yvonne

Mrs. Houser, Brandon, and Mrs. Zen

Mrs. Alisha avoiding the camera!

The hostess and I!

Kim, Mrs. Alison, and Shakira browsing the catalog!

Josh, Mrs. Alison's middle child.

Jayna, Josh, and Calvin--some of Mrs. Alisha and Mrs. Alison's children--enjoying appetizers we made for the party! I should have taken pictures of ALL the stuff we made!

Grant, Mrs. Alison's eldest son (we have the same birthday!)

Jo-Jo, Mrs. Alisha's youngest daughter!

The chicken braid I demoed at the party. It was so tasty!

You can bake cakes and cook food in Pampered Chef stoneware IN THE MICROWAVE! Neat, huh?!

A little too much icing goodness! (You dollop the icing into the cake mix pre-cooking. The icing sinks to the bottom of the mix and cooks with the cake. Then when you turn the cake upside-right it is already pre-iced and ready to go! Ta-da!)