New Music Monday!!! 09/26/2011

Today's New Music Monday is brought to you by Jemina Pearl. This is the music video for her song featuring Iggy Pop, "I Hate People."

Being a server, this video is awesome. It features so many things I only wish I could do to some of the people who come into the restaurant where I work. If you are a server than most likely, you hate people too!

This song was from 2009 and I hope she comes out with more music. She has such a unique voice that's different from a lot of singers out there today.

My favorite song is "Nashville Shores" but there is not a video for that song unfortunately. I hope you all enjoy this song and the singer, until next Monday.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

My Future House

So do you think my future husband would object to a ton of pink in "our" future house?

I think this pink striped laundry room is a great idea.

And how about this hot pink front door? I think this would look amazing on "our" future house.

I did an earlier post of my pink dream kitchen, which you can find here. 

I just hope he likes pink because there is going to be a lot of it in "our" future house.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 09/19/2011

I found this song on facebook and I love it! It's a country song and very cute. This is Marlee Scott singing "Beautiful Maybe". I think I am gonna go buy this song on itunes and I recommend you do the same. Enjoy the music.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Cooking Lesson #2 - Stuffed Peppers

On Tuesday Jeremy actually had the day off, so I experimented and made stuffed peppers for the first time. I found the recipe on the back of a Minute rice box and it looked interesting and easy.

I chose 4 of the brightest color peppers I could find and I had to go to two different stores to get them. I wanted one in every color just so things could be festive.

Cleaning them was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, the insides just scooped right out!

For me, this was the gross part. I am not one for touching raw hamburger meat, but I did it.

They already look so pretty, even with the raw meat inside.

Oh my gosh, the smell while they were cooking was amazing. I only wish I could put the smell onto my blog page.

This is my finished product, ready to eat. I added a few spoonfuls of marinara to the bowl, I knew the amount on top was not going to be enough for either of us. 

The recipe said cook them for 45 minutes but I had to cook them a little longer to get the pink out of the meat. I also had to call an expert, my grandmother, to make sure I had done them right. Once I saw the pink inside I wasn't sure I started to doubt myself. It didn't saw to cook the meat before had so I was a little scared but she assured me that you don't cook the meat so it can mix with the peppers.

I think I did a fantastic job on this recipe and I hope you all enjoy. Here is a copy of the recipe in case you want to try it out for yourselves.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

New Music Monday!!! 09/12/2011

Today's New Music Monday is Megan and Liz's "Run Away". I found this one on Facebook. I hope you enjoy.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Remembering

Photo taken by Jessica Lanham

It's been ten years to the day and I still get goosebumps about what happened. I remember my sister calling me on the phone and telling me that we (the United States) were being attacked. She said that they struck in New York. I turned on the television and say the most horrific thing I could imagine, the Twin Towers were on fire. At the time I worked in an office building in Franklin and was completely scared out of my mind to go to work. 

Still, I got dressed and drove up to the school where my mom worked to see if she had heard. They only told her she was not allowed to turn on the TV, she didn't know anything else. I told her what had happened then left for work. I didn't want to leave her, I felt like I might not see her again. The only thing that keep me sane was knowing that my dad worked as a security guard just down the hall and if anything happened, I was 100% sure he would save me first. 

When I got to work there were people crowed in the lobby watching the news. I just wanted to go home where I knew I would be safe. I saw my dad and he came to check on me right when I got to work. I was only there for an hour before they told us to go home. I was so relieved. I never went back to work there again, I just couldn't imagine working in an office building after what happened. 

It took me about nine months to recover from what happened and actually get a good night's sleep. I was always thinking that any minute now something else was going to happen. Then I would think who would attack a small town in Tennessee. I was afraid to fly, afraid to drive, afraid to leave my family because I thought they could be gone at any minute.

I have actually been to the top of one of the towers. I think it was in eighth grade while on a church trip. There was a Sbarro's on the top floor of the one we went too. (At the time I worked for Sbarro's at the Galleria Mall.) The halls at the top were lined with some sort of cut out figures and my ears were popping all the way up to the 110th floor. I think of actresses and sports figures unique to New York. I just kept thinking about all the schools that were touring the building when went and what if a group of children were there at the time of the attacks. 

My favorite memory was putting money into the binoculars that were outside and looking up into the sky when a plane flew by,I was trying to peer inside the plane. I was so sure that since we were so high that I could actually see people inside the plane. I was able to make out figures, but a lot of the blinds were pulled down. Still, I was thrilled and scared at being so high off the ground.

I will always remember that day for the rest of my life. I am sure we all will. 

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 09/05/2011

Today's New Music Monday is brought to you by Oh Darling's "Prettiest Thing". I found thing while surfing itunes. It's an interesting song and I hope you enjoy.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 08/22/2011

I am cutting it close with only 42 minutes left of New Music Monday. This song is "Sweetest Kill" by Broken Social Scene. This chick has a very real, unique voice. The video is quite interesting and graphic as well, but I liked it and I hope you guys enjoy this weeks New Music Monday pick.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Cupcakes at Work

A table was having a going away party for someone they work with and made the cutest cupcakes ever. She was headed to Florida so I think the umbrella was the cutest idea ever! And the neon colors looked delicious.

These photos were taken with with my iPhone so they are not the best quality.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Gone

Last night all my baby kittens were attacked and killed.There were a total of eight kittens ranging from 8 weeks to just around 3 weeks old. My grandmother said she heard a bunch of dogs out behind her house last night chasing the cats so I am guessing that's what got a hold of my babies. My mom found them when she was leaving for work this morning spread out on the porch and in the driveway. I will find the owner of the dogs and tell them to leash their dogs. 

This is Fred and Blackout Decepticon, the black kittens. Garrett is in the back

The orange one is Tater tot, the light gray one is Grant (my nephew named it after himself), and the other two were yet to be named.

This little baby was the smallest one. He didn't even have a name yet.

I miss you already my sweet babies.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 08/08/2011

Today's New Music Monday post is brought to you by The Dum Dum girls. I hope you enjoy their music. This song is called "He gets me High."

 

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Quote of the Day

"It's never too late to be who you might have been." - George Eliot

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

xoxo, am&a lynn 

Having a Coke With You

is even more fun than going to San Sebastian, Irún, Hendaye, Biarritz, Bayonne
or being sick to my stomach on the Travesera de Gracia in Barcelona
partly because in your orange shirt you look like a better happier St. Sebastian
partly because of my love for you, partly because of your love for yoghurt
partly because of the fluorescent orange tulips around the birches
partly because of the secrecy our smiles take on before people and statuary
it is hard to believe when I’m with you that there can be anything as still
as solemn as unpleasantly definitive as statuary when right in front of it
in the warm New York 4 o’clock light we are drifting back and forth
between each other like a tree breathing through its spectacles

and the portrait show seems to have no faces in it at all, just paint
you suddenly wonder why in the world anyone ever did them

I look
at you and I would rather look at you than all the portraits in the world
except possibly for the Polish Rider occasionally and anyway it’s in the Frick
which thank heavens you haven’t gone to yet so we can go together the first time
and the fact that you move so beautifully more or less takes care of Futurism
just as at home I never think of the Nude Descending a Staircase or
at a rehearsal a single drawing of Leonardo or Michelangelo that used to wow me
and what good does all the research of the Impressionists do them
when they never got the right person to stand near the tree when the sun sank
or for that matter Marino Marini when he didn’t pick the rider as carefully
as the horse

it seems they were all cheated of some marvelous experience
which is not going to go wasted on me which is why I am telling you about i

—	Frank O’Hara

New Music Monday!!! 08/01/2011

 

Sorry I missed last weeks New Music Monday. I picked this song to make up for it. I love Joshua Radin and all his songs. This was a free song from the Tiffany's website, What Makes Love True. I hope you enjoy.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

My Future Kitchen

So I have found my dream kitchen. These images are from My Home Ideas. I just hope my future husband likes pink as much as I do!!

 The cupcake sign is so cute and delicious.

This stove and refrigerator are so retro and cute I absolutely love them. I am not sure about the blue contrast I make make that pink too or white even. Oh maybe a lite lavender color.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

But Not Forgotten by Dorothy Parker

I think, no matter where you stray That I shall go with you a way. Though you may wander sweeter lands, You will not soon forget my hands, Nor yet the way I held my head, Nor all the tremulous things I said. You still will see me, small and white And smiling, in the secret night, And feel my arms about you when The day comes fluttering back again. I think, no matter where you be, You'll hold me in your memory And keep my image, there without me, By telling later loves about me.

The Dream by: Edna St. Vincent Millay

Love, if I weep it will not matter,
   And if you laugh I shall not care;
Foolish am I to think about it,
   But it is good to feel you there.

Love, in my sleep I dreamed of waking,—
   White and awful the moonlight reached
Over the floor, and somewhere, somewhere,
   There was a shutter loose,—it screeched!

Swung in the wind,—and no wind blowing!—
   I was afraid, and turned to you,
Put out my hand to you for comfort,—
   And you were gone! Cold, cold as dew,

Under my hand the moonlight lay!
   Love, if you laugh I shall not care,
But if I weep it will not matter,—
   Ah, it is good to feel you there!

I Carry Your Heart With Me by: e.e. cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
                                  i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

Telescope Louise Glück

Telescope  Louise Glück

There is a moment after you move your eye away
when you forget where you are
because you've been living, it seems,
somewhere else, in the silence of the night sky.

You've been stopped being here in the world.
You're in a different place,
a place where human life has no meaning.

You're not a creature in a body.
You exist as the stars exist,
participating in their stillness, their immensity.

Then you're in the world again.
At night, on a cold hill,
taking the telescope apart.

You realize afterward
not that the image is false
but the relation is false.

You see again how far away
each thing is from every other thing.

____________________________________________________________
xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 07/21/2011

Heard this on the radio the other day and thought it was a great song. This is Matt Nathanson singing "Faster". I hope you enjoy as much as I did. I also posted the lyrics. My favorite line is, "you taste like sunshine and strawberry bubblegum."


xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Faster - Matt Nathanson

You're so delicious
you're so soft
sweet on the tip of my tongue
you taste like sunlight
and strawberry bubble gum


you bite my lip
you spike my blood
you make my heart beat faster


own me, you own
you rattle my bones
you turn me over and over
'till I can't control myself
make me a liar
one big disaster
you make my heart beat faster


it's the way you swell, slow
pushing right out your seams
it's the way you smile, baby
when you've got me on my knees


your all night noise
your siren howl
you make my heart, beat, faster


own me, you own
you rattle my bones
you turn me over and over
'till I can't control myself
make me a liar
one big disaster
you make my heart beat faster


cause I jump back, crash, I crawl
I beg and steal, I follow you
yeah you own me
and you make my heart beat faster


(I can't get enough
because its on like
I guess this world is over to me)


you own me, you own
you rattle my bones
you turn me over and over
'till I can't control myself
make me a liar
one big disaster
you make my heart beat faster

Harry Potter Premiere *SPOILERS*

Well the end is finally here. Last night I went with my sister and my Friend Sam to see the final Harry Potter film. I didn't cry as much as I thought I would but It was still amazing. And of course the book is till much better than the film. 

There were parts they left out that I would have liked to see, like Kreacher running out of the kitchens with the fake locket on his neck defending the castle for his Master Regalus. But I abbsolutley loved seeing McGonagall turning the statues to life and telling them to protect Hogwarts. And Molly killing Beatrix was was what I wanted to see although in my head it was grander than the movie. 

Of course I could have done without all the dying. So many good people lost and seeing Lavender being eaten by the werewolf set it off for me. Fred. Lupin. Tonks. Snape. Collin. 

And where the hell was Goyle in this film. They chose some random boy to go in his place to the room of requirement.

Seeing Ron and Hermione kiss was awesome they needed to do that years ago.

The 19 years later seen was much anticipated and I thought they did a good job although they left out Teddy and the fact that he was Harry's godson.

But still it was an amazing film and I can't wait to go see it again.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Bastille Day!!!!!

As those of you who have been reading this blog can tell, I love everything French and yes this includes their holidays as well. So I am wishing everyone a Happy Bastille Day or Bonne Fête Nationale!!! 

So What is Bastille Day? 

Bastille Day, the French national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis the 16th's Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.

I think I will celebrate by having a French movie marathon starting with my favorite French film, Amelie!

 And thanks to Netflix I can watch as many as I want without having to buy any of them.
____________________________

Anything French always take me back to my time in France. I wish I was still there. 

This is a group shot upon our arrival in Cherbourg, France the Summer of 2007.

This was taken by Stephanie at Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France.

My Birthday Buddy Tad, took this picture. It is one of my favorites, I have it framed in my room. I am staring at a beach in Normandy, France.

This was my very first image of the Eiffel Tower. For more on this story you can read my post here.

Bonne Fête Nationale!!

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥ 

Viva la revolution!!!

Dollar Aisle Discoveries

I found these little cupcake treasures in the dollar aisle at Target. The cupcake holders are absolutely adorable, so I had to get the cupcake bag as well. I threw in the "A" coaster simply because they were pink and had an "A" on them! They make me want to make some cupcakes to store in the little holders! 

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 07/11/2011

 If you are a Scrubs fan than you will know this song played on the finale when JD was looking into his future. He saw himself marrying Elliott and spending Christmas with Turk and Dr. Cox. The song is called "Book of Love" and is sung by Peter Gabriel. Enjoy!


xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 07/04/2011

 

Saw this band on my itunes genius playlist. This is Jenny O. singing Well OK Honey! Hope you enjoy and have a great fourth of July!

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

If You Could Be Any Age......

The year would be 1992 and I am 10 years old. Right around this age I would be between third and fourth grades with not a care in the world. I would still be spending everyday playing outside no matter what the temperature is, and wearing shorts in the winter and pants in the summer! Although I did have a horrible hairstyle, which I thought was great at the time. 

This to me was the perfect age. You are not worried about your looks and for the most part everyone is your friend. There are no cliques, or you are not concerned about them anyways. I was spending my days catching wild cats, which I still do.

So if you could be any age, what age would you choose?

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

New Music Monday!!! 06/27/2011

Today's New Music Monday song is by BC Jean. The song is called "I'll Survive you" and is about surviving a break up. Something many of us are familiar with. I hope you all enjoy and go to itunes to buy her song.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Some of the Best Advice

I am not one for giving advice to other people but I came across this and thought it was some of the best advice I had seen in a long time.

So for work tonight I made cupcakes, 75 tiny cupcakes to be exact.

They look very delicious and are my nephew Garrett's favorite, Funfetti. They love when I bring cupcakes to work.

Stay Sweet, 

         xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Lost in Time Photograph

I have always thought I was born in the wrong decade. Since I was a little girl I just knew I belonged in the sixties and seventies. I always had long hair and I remember making flower headbands. I was in love with peace signs, my dream car was a convertible VW Bug, and I wanted to go to Woodstock and roll around in the mud while listening to some amazing music.


When I was going through a box of my grandmother's photos, I came across this picture of my cousin Debbie, my mom, and my cousin Diane at a beach in Florida when they were 17. This would make it the summer of 1970.

I love looking through old photos like this. There is just something about the style in which they were taken. This one just happens to be very "summery", which is why I have chose to display it. 

I love this one of my mom and I absolutely love her swimsuit. I would have loved to been in this picture with them. This is one of those times I wish I had a time machine so I could go live a different life.

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Summer Songs

With yesterday being the official start of Summer, I thought I would post a list of some of the summer songs on my playlist.

Juxtaposition.com

*Summer Girl - by: Jessica Andrews

*Summer Sunshine - by: the Coors

*Island in the Sun - performed by: Emma Roberts

*Boys in the Summer - by: Jessie James

*Summertime - by: New Kids on the Block

*Summertime - by: Renee Olstead

*Summertime - by: Briana Taylor

*Hot Summer Night - by: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

*Summertime Guys - by: Nikki Cleary
*Under the Boardwalk - by: The Drifters

Anyone notice the theme? Happy listening and send me some of your favorite songs.


xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

The Lasagna......

Used the leftover spaghetti sauce to make lasagna with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses. It was tastier than the spaghetti in my opinion, well for those of you who like cheese anyways! :-) I think I did a fabulous job on both these dinners! Hope your mouths are watering looking at the pictures!

xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

Cooking Lesson #1 - Italian Spaghetti Sauce

       Yesterday I was tasked with making dinner, which I happen to like since I can't make dinner at my house for one person. (My mom would most likely not eat what I cook, or else she would eat a small amount leaving me to consume what's left. That most likely means half of it would be thrown away after sitting in the fridge so about a week or two.) 

The recipe was called Jo Mama's Famous Spaghetti Recipe from Food.com. (Follow the link for the entire recipe.)

The ingredients ran about $36.

Darn onions made my eyes sting!

Browning some Italian sausage.

I have never cooked with garlic before. I had to "mince" it and I had no clue what I was doing.

Added basil, parsley, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper

Never cooked with wine before either. This was a cabernet from Australia called Down Under. It was only $5.99 in the liquor store and pretty tasty too.

My finished product. I was thinking it would have been tasty with a nice Red Wine Sangria, but I didn't have the other ingredients for that so I added orange juice to my red wine. (That really helped out the flavor.) It was some very strong wine too. I got a buzz from just one glass.

I let it simmer for 3 hours to really soak up the flavor. I do believe I did a fabulous job too. The recipe says it makes 10-14 serving so for three people there was a lot of sauce left over. So tomorrow we are gonna try to use the rest to make a lasagna of sorts. I will let you know about the results from that cooking experience at another time.

Stay Sweet, 
          xoxo, am&a lynn ♥

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