RIP to the late and beyond great
Robin Williams
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
52 Questions: #6
Princess K welcomes all to her blog! HELLO!
We are back on another lovely Monday and ready to delve into the question of the week. Here we go!
Well....so much for a happy question. But, as with everything in life, I guess we must also explore those things that are not always so joyful.
Aside from my dear Minnie (the link to her post is here) I have only had my great grandparents and a few estranged family members pass. There is, however, one member of my family whose death was rather shocking and sad to the majority of my mother's family. My Uncle Sammy.
Uncle Sammy was my Gran's brother (my mother's mother) and he had a rather troubled life in his later years. He actually survived a point blank shot to the head once and didn't even realize he had been shot until a few hours later.
His death was rather tragic. My Uncle Sammy was a notorious drinker but he usually got up most mornings to go to the local diner with his father (my great grand father.) One morning, my Granddaddy Paul went to pick him up but he didn't seem to be home. Thinking nothing of it, he simply went on to the diner. It was rather foggy that morning and my Granddaddy hit a large BUMP! in the middle of the road. That BUMP! was my Uncle Sammy, his son.
The autopsy later showed that Uncle Sammy had been deceased for sometime before my Granddaddy arrived. Everyone thinks this was just a horrendous hit-and-run incident. But my Granddaddy never got over the loss of his son.
I know that I will have to face the loss of my own family and loved ones someday, but I have seen first hand how devastating that can be. I'm in no rush.
Feel free to share any stories about family or friends you have lost in the comments below.
Until next time,
Princess K
We are back on another lovely Monday and ready to delve into the question of the week. Here we go!
Question 6.) Have any of your family members died yet? If so, what do remember of their death and what were the circumstances of their death?
Aside from my dear Minnie (the link to her post is here) I have only had my great grandparents and a few estranged family members pass. There is, however, one member of my family whose death was rather shocking and sad to the majority of my mother's family. My Uncle Sammy.
Uncle Sammy was my Gran's brother (my mother's mother) and he had a rather troubled life in his later years. He actually survived a point blank shot to the head once and didn't even realize he had been shot until a few hours later.
His death was rather tragic. My Uncle Sammy was a notorious drinker but he usually got up most mornings to go to the local diner with his father (my great grand father.) One morning, my Granddaddy Paul went to pick him up but he didn't seem to be home. Thinking nothing of it, he simply went on to the diner. It was rather foggy that morning and my Granddaddy hit a large BUMP! in the middle of the road. That BUMP! was my Uncle Sammy, his son.
The autopsy later showed that Uncle Sammy had been deceased for sometime before my Granddaddy arrived. Everyone thinks this was just a horrendous hit-and-run incident. But my Granddaddy never got over the loss of his son.
I know that I will have to face the loss of my own family and loved ones someday, but I have seen first hand how devastating that can be. I'm in no rush.
Feel free to share any stories about family or friends you have lost in the comments below.
Until next time,
Princess K
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Reading Princess: John Green's "Paper Towns"
Hello all!
As a Princess, I believe it is important to further my knowledge through reading....and its just fun!
I'm sure most of you have seen the new movie The Fault in Our Stars.
As a Princess, I believe it is important to further my knowledge through reading....and its just fun!
I'm sure most of you have seen the new movie The Fault in Our Stars.
EXCELLENT movie! Jeremy and I saw it in theaters and I am not ashamed to say that I bawled like a school girl in public over this film.
Anyway, I had read The Fault in our Stars several months before the film was released.
OK, enough GIFs! The point is: I loved The Fault in Our Stars so much (besides viciously deleting my kindle copy from my library in a fit of rage) that I had to read more of John Green's novels.
While Paper Towns does follow the idea of a "coming of age" genre that is so popular today, it does not revolve around a tragic love story/triangle (how refreshing!) Not only do we find the hilarity in what we think could be the impossible, but we are also shown that it is never too late to do something outside of your comfort zone...or just plain crazy!
One point I saw very interesting in Paper Towns was the concept of mirrors and windows. Q says something to the effect of everyone looking out into the world only really sees a mirror of what it is they want to see. (I swear, next time, I will actually write this quote down!) This is also true for the way we look at people. We project this image of what we want them to be, mirroring our wants, and that is what we see.
This concept got me thinking about my relationship with Jeremy. I have known him for almost ten years and I realize that in the beginning, I only saw him as a mirror of my own desires. However, as time as progressed and we have grown closer and farther and then closer still, the mirror has begun to crack and break, bit by bit. Where there is no mirror, there is only a window and now I see more and more of him for what he really is. The more of that mirror that fall away, the more I fall in love for things that are uniquely him. I know that the mirror will never fall away completely, but I feel the more time we spend together, the more I will be able to see him as he is.
I highly recommend Paper Towns by John Green to just about anyone and give it 5 out of 5 crowns!
Yeah, I sobbed through the end of the book, too. Jeremy was actually like:
OK, enough GIFs! The point is: I loved The Fault in Our Stars so much (besides viciously deleting my kindle copy from my library in a fit of rage) that I had to read more of John Green's novels.
So, the next trip to Barnes and Noble led to the purchase of Paper Towns. (Which is also getting a movie?! STFU!)
(Click the image to buy your own copy from barnesandnoble.com!)
Now, John Green is known for his unique take on the "coming of age"/"American high school" story genre. Green is a mad genius for his ability to engage his characters in unique, and in this novel, highly hilarious scenarios while all the while leading the reader to a grand philosophical turning point.
Summary from John Green's Website:
"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life–dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge–he follows.This book is down right....hilarious! From the "World's Largest Black Santa Collection" to the night of mischief that Margo drags Q through, Paper Towns had me rolling with laughter not even 15 pages in!
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues–and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew."
While Paper Towns does follow the idea of a "coming of age" genre that is so popular today, it does not revolve around a tragic love story/triangle (how refreshing!) Not only do we find the hilarity in what we think could be the impossible, but we are also shown that it is never too late to do something outside of your comfort zone...or just plain crazy!
One point I saw very interesting in Paper Towns was the concept of mirrors and windows. Q says something to the effect of everyone looking out into the world only really sees a mirror of what it is they want to see. (I swear, next time, I will actually write this quote down!) This is also true for the way we look at people. We project this image of what we want them to be, mirroring our wants, and that is what we see.
This concept got me thinking about my relationship with Jeremy. I have known him for almost ten years and I realize that in the beginning, I only saw him as a mirror of my own desires. However, as time as progressed and we have grown closer and farther and then closer still, the mirror has begun to crack and break, bit by bit. Where there is no mirror, there is only a window and now I see more and more of him for what he really is. The more of that mirror that fall away, the more I fall in love for things that are uniquely him. I know that the mirror will never fall away completely, but I feel the more time we spend together, the more I will be able to see him as he is.
I highly recommend Paper Towns by John Green to just about anyone and give it 5 out of 5 crowns!
PRINCESS APPROVED!
I intend to read the rest of John Green's books before the end of the year, so check back soon for more reviews!
Until next time,
Princess K
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Cooking Princess: Chicken and Dumplings
Hello all!
Coming at ya with a ole southern classic: CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS!
In all honesty, I did NOT like Chicken and Dumplings when I was growing up. (Sacrilege for someone born and raised in South Alabama!) My mom always put these weird, frozen dumplings in hers and just....yuck.
However, Jeremy loves Chicken and Dumplings so I figured out a recipe. And it is so easy!
First, you must gather your supplies!
Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (I like the kind with herbs), chicken broth, chicken stock or bouillon, a rotisserie chicken (lots of chicken here), and some spices.
Plus...
Half a stick of butter! (Channel your inner Paula Dean.)
For the dumplings, I just use some Pillsbury Grands biscuits. They come out really fluffy and tasty!
The first thing I do is tear into that rotisserie chicken! Be sure to pick out all the bones and check for the really tiny ones!
Most people use uncooked chicken breast or tenders, but I like the ease of just tossing everything in the pot.
Next, we put the broth...
...soup...
...half stick of butter...
...stock...
...and spices in the pot and boil it up! (I love to add Tabasco to mine. Make it Cajun!)
Now, we toss in the chicken and let that all simmer for a bit while we prep the dumplings.
Then you just have to roll them up! I like to marinate them in Tabasco before tossing them in the pot.
Toss your dumplings in the pot and watch them grow! Keep stirring while it simmers or they will stick together.
This is what it looks like when done!
TASTY!
Nothing better than sitting at home with a good meal, a tasty drink, and a great book! (I will have a review of Kalona's Fall coming out in a few weeks.)
The entire recipe is below and feel free to comment with questions or to let me know how your meal turned out!
Happy cooking and until next time,
Princess K
Chicken and Dumplings
What you'll need:
Coming at ya with a ole southern classic: CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS!
In all honesty, I did NOT like Chicken and Dumplings when I was growing up. (Sacrilege for someone born and raised in South Alabama!) My mom always put these weird, frozen dumplings in hers and just....yuck.
First, you must gather your supplies!
Plus...
Most people use uncooked chicken breast or tenders, but I like the ease of just tossing everything in the pot.
Take each biscuit and slice it into 8 pieces....
Then you just have to roll them up! I like to marinate them in Tabasco before tossing them in the pot.
Mickey loves some Chicken and Dumplings. He also loves his stuffed dragon, which is almost as big as he is!
The entire recipe is below and feel free to comment with questions or to let me know how your meal turned out!
Happy cooking and until next time,
Princess K
Chicken and Dumplings
What you'll need:
- 1 rotisserie chicken
- 1 can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken and Herbs soup
- 32 oz of Chicken Broth
- 4 tbsp butter (half stick)
- chicken stock or bouillon cube
- 1 can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits
- Spices of Choice and flour (for thickening)
- First, pull all of the meat from the rotisserie chicken, being careful of the bones. Set aside.
- In a large cooking pot, pour in chicken broth, soup, stock or bouillon, and spices and heat to mild boil. Add butter and let it melt before adding chicken.
- On a plate, cut uncooked biscuits into 8 wedges per biscuit and roll between palms to create a small ball.
- Once all the biscuits have been cut and rolled, start adding them to the pot.
- Turn down heat and continue to stir while simmering. About 10-15 minutes.
- Check the dumplings by slicing one in half. If the center is cooked through and hot, you are ready for supper!
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Sewing Princess: "I claim this space in the name of...CRAFTS!"
Hello all!
Princess K is back and I am doing some new and nifty things. Besides reading lots of books (my first book review will be coming out soon!) and working, I have finally set up my sewing/crafts room!
This room is actually the extra bed room in our house, right next to our bedroom. (There is a TV and Jeremy is going to move his computer in as well!)
This was not a horrific undertaking, but seeing as how my sewing machine has just been sitting in its box since it arrived almost 3 weeks ago, I was very thrilled to FINALLY find a suitable desk on Craigslist.
Perfect size, great condition, and it only cost me $30. What a deal! This desk is really light and just big enough to hold my supplies. (I have considered buying another small table to house my computer and printer.)
There are four drawers, one of which is a file drawer so I could "file away" all my fabric.
My fabric is folded over some hanging file folders that I cut in half. (Pinterest idea!) This makes it very easy to see exactly what I have.
A drawer for notions, scissors (I have since gotten a rotary cutter, too!) seam ripper, etc.
The next drawer has thread, fusible fleece, and a chalk pen for marking fabric.
The skinny drawer at the top has my sewing and embroidery patterns, my sewing book, and the manuel for my sewing machine (very important!)
I also have this beautiful sewing case that Jeremy bought for me.
Inside is all my embroidery floss....
Some finished cross stitch projects....
And some counted projects I have on back-up. (DISNEY!)
Now, for the final piece to this crafting space...
THE MACHINE!
And it's PURPLE!
This machine has ten different stitch settings and only one speed, but the reviews on Amazon said it was great for beginners. So I decided this was a great way to start. (Plus, it's purple! Did I mention that? I mean I have NEVER seen a PURPLE sewing machine!) I tried to just sew on some fabric scraps I had with some black thread.
The front and...
Oops! Looks like I was "bird nesting" pretty bad on that first try. Turns out I had threaded my machine wrong. So, take two and a comparison.
Better!
Next, I wanted to test stitching with pins so I folded some more of this white cotton
Princess K is back and I am doing some new and nifty things. Besides reading lots of books (my first book review will be coming out soon!) and working, I have finally set up my sewing/crafts room!
This was not a horrific undertaking, but seeing as how my sewing machine has just been sitting in its box since it arrived almost 3 weeks ago, I was very thrilled to FINALLY find a suitable desk on Craigslist.
There are four drawers, one of which is a file drawer so I could "file away" all my fabric.
Now, for the final piece to this crafting space...
THE MACHINE!
The green line was a "sewing guide" (I just used my chalk pencil to make the marking) since I was trying to sew straight. It actually turned out ok!
I am taking a Sewing Basics class on Thursday at the local Jo Ann Fabrics and I will write up another post about how that turned out.
Until next time,
Princess K
Monday, August 4, 2014
52 Questions: #4 and #5
Hello Interwebz!
I know I am a week behind on this series, but Jeremy and I went to Alabama and Florida to visit family last week. My laptop has also been out of commission (although I FINALLY have it working...somewhat) and I couldn't upload pics/gifs to my posts via the iPad app. :(
However, this just means we will be answering 2 QUESTIONS TODAY!
Onward!
Question #4:
- Tell me about your mother (hers name, birth date, birthplace, parents, etc.) Can you share some memories you have of your mother?
Ah, mothers. Aren't they great? :)
My mother's name is Paula Dansby. She was born on October 31st (that does NOT make her a witch; I checked.) Her parents are Huey and Glenda Campbell and she has one sister, Carmen.
I have an unlimited amount of memories of my mother but for the sake of the length of this post, I will tell one and keep it short. On a trip to Walt Disney World (BEST. PLACE. EVER.) My siblings were all set on riding Space Mountain for the 800th time that trip. My mom could tell that I really wanted to meet Ariel, since I had never met her before, so she sent my brother and sister with my dad and we waited in line to meet Ariel...for 2 hours. Only my mom would stand with her 14 year-old, surrounded by children no older than 10, and not complain.
Question #5: What kind of work did your parents do (farm, salesman, manager, seamstress, nurse, stay at home mom, professional/laborer, etc.)
My dad is the Vice President of Credit at NCI Buildings and my mom is a case manager who works out of her house. They are both very hard-working and good at what they do. My dad has done a great job of getting his company back on track and mom takes a lot of joy in being able to spend time with my nephew, Logan.
Alrighty! There will be more posts coming this week as I have a number of things going on!
Until next time,
Princess K
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