Random Facts about me

I put this up on my Facebook, but thought I'd put it up here too. Hope it doesn't freak you out to much!


1. I recently gained a not-so-secret Identity: LaFonda.
2. I rarely read the newspaper, or watch the news. Consequently I usually find out about things after it has become old news. I don't mind.
3. I love to have everything clean and organized, but I am not good about keeping it that way. So my place is messy 75% of the time.
4. I am becoming more and more forgetful. I seriously think I'm going to get alzheimer's and am afraid of how it will hurt my family.
5. I make an Amazing apple pie but no one knows about it because I usually eat it all myself, breakfast lunch and dinner! Derek might get one peice of it.
6. If you were to make a suprise visit to my place 9 times out of ten I would be wearing my bathrobe on over my clothes. I'm always cold.
7. I have to sleep with my ears covered. I can't fall asleep if they are exposed because I have a phobia something will crawl in. (Thanks to Kim!!!) I usually pull some of my hair over my ears.
8. I am just realizing I am not as good of a cook as I thought I was. For example, just today I burned my cheese crisp, which is not uncommon for me to do. But I am good at baking, especially goodies.
9. I love Reality TV shows. I have been known to watch: The Bachelor/ette, Survivor, America's Next top Model, Project Runway, Beauty and the Geek, and even (sadly) Farmer Wants a Wife.
10. I LOVE TO READ. Nothing can compare to being totally absorbed in a book, to the point of obsession.
11. I love doing crafts of all sorts. Once a coworker in college nick-named me "Pioneer Girl"
12. During the winter I usually take a shower in the morning, and a bath at night. Not because I am exeptionally dirty, but I when I get cold I'll take a bath. This is when the bathrobe is not quite cutting it. I usually will read in the tub (Favorite way to relax too!) and have often fallen asleep.
13. I am quiet until you get to know me, then when I get comfortable most people are suprised when I speak up and crack jokes.
14. In the 6th grade I couldn't decide between wanting to be an astronaught, or a "Greek Mythologist". For those of you that don't know what that is (I think I made it up), I wanted to study Greek Mythology as a career.
15. If I like a book, I will read it over and over. I have many books that I have read (or listened to) over 10 times.
16. I have my 14-digit library card number memorized. I don't, howerver, have my husbands social security number memorized.
17. I am addicted to the video game The Sims2. I have all of their expansion packs, and can't wait until The Sims3 comes out (Feb 20th!)
18. I wish my hair was redder. One of my fears is that my sister Courtney took all the red-headed children allotment for our family, and I will have none.
19. My dream car is the 1967 Mustang.
20. I won't touch food that has been in the fridge longer than two days, even if it is still good. 21. I have no knowledge or interest in Politics, though I know I should.
22. I am a squirmer. I will fidget, and wiggle for 5 minutes straight then I will let out a sigh and fall instantly to sleep. I can't sleep unless I get all the fidgeting out.
23. I have the best husband. My favorite thing in the world is to be with him on a road trip, or a cruise, or any vacation. He is my favorite person to be with.
24. Sometimes I'll squeeze the toothpaste tube from the top on purpose because it buggs my husband so much (love you babe!)
25. I am very blessed in my families. I come from a large family of 10 kids and we are all the best of friends. I married into a wonderful family that treats me like a daughter and I don't have any hesitancy to call them mom and dad, and my brothers. I married a special man and love the family we have created, and I can't wait until we can add children. And I have collected wonderful friends from church and work that are my extended family. I love you all!

The Year of Flowers

For my birthday you may remember that Derek got me flowers, oh excuse me, I mean the lady at the store just "gave" them to him when she heard it was my birthday, so he says. Then a few weeks later, one night I came home early from work, and after being home for half an hour he finally pointed out to me that he had gotten me some new flowers since the others had started to die. I hadn't noticed the 2 foot tall yellow Lily bouquet right on our mantle! He said he wanted to have a continuous bouquet of flowers for me to have, so when one bouquet was about to be thrown out then he would get me some more. Now, I think this sounds fantastic, but didnt' know if he would remember this plan. But, sure enough, last night I had just thrown out the Lily's when he brought me home these tulips. He told me that he had declared this the "Year of Flowers" and that he meant it. I think it is very sweet of him, and of course love seeing a beautiful bouquet of flowers on our mantle. I hope it continues! I'll keep you posted!

Biggest Loser

Well, the elusive postI put up a few days ago about needing help will now be explained. One of my goals before I turned 30 was to try to get into better shape. Now, it is always tricky bringing this up, because people usually say I don't need to. But for me, since I have been married I have been putting on weight, and my clothes don't fit me. I wore the same size from 16-26, but since I got married I have gone up several sizes, and it has been frustrating. It is a change for me, and I want to go back the way I was, plus I've never really been that strong, or had muscle definition.

So I hired a trainer, and I have my last meeting with her tomorrow. For twelve weeks I have been regular about working out and I dont' want to lose what I've gained, and put that money to waste. The reason I got a trainer was that I needed someone to be accountable because on my own I would give up. I have for the last two years been trying to go regularly and it hasn't worked.

So I just want to do something like a weekly post telling how many times I went that week, or something. I usually go about 4x/week. I want you all to get on to me if I start to slack off, because it works for me to be accountable to someone. I want to continued to get stronger, and healthier.

Anyone want to take up the role of guilt-tripping me if I start to slack? It's open for the taking!

Sha-Bling!

When I was a teenager I used to make beaded necklaces, mostly with seed beads. I've always been interested in making jewelry, but just more recently got back into it because of a gift I got from my sister Shaina. She gave me a beaded bracelet. I liked it so much I wanted to make some more, with different colors, so she told me where she got her supplies and gave me some tips. Since then I have been making them and expanding on those basics, and occasionally giving them as gifts. Many of my co-workers saw my bracelets I had made and were interested in buying them for themselves. I was trying to think of a fancy name, in case I made it big (Castle in the clouds!) and one of the names Derek suggested was Sha-bling. As in,

"What is that fabulous piece you are wearing?"

"Why, it's Sha-Bling, of course!"

Ha, I like that name to play around with, but settled on Beads-G0-Round. My Father-In-Law does Graphic Designs and made me a little label with my "Business name" (Thanks so much!!!) I have sold little of my stuff, mostly to my co-workers, but not enough to start claming a home business or anything. But it's nice to see them happy with stuff I've made them.

Anyway that is a little random background on this post. I wanted to show some recent jewelry I made.

My most recent pieces are with Swarovski crystals. They are very sparkly and pretty, but they are expensive! So I need to find some inexpensive websites to buy them, or some good imitations. Thanks to Shaina, and her fabulous friend that have given me some new woven patterns to work on, that's my fav at this time. the above pattern is from a class in a bead store. The owner was not helpful. I asked her if I could buy the pattern from the class since most of them are when I'm at work, or sleeping. She replied, "I keep the pattern in my head" In a very snooty voice. Well, I added that actually, because it annoyed me how unhelpful she was. But, by looking at her bracelet very closely I figured it out, so there!

I also made more for Chistmas presents, but didn't take pictues. I wish I had, I really liked them. Anyway, hope you enjoy and if you want to buy any Sha-Bling, formally known as: Beads-Go-Round let me know!

Out with the Old!

Ok, finally I was able to change my background- no more Christmas tree! And I changed my title too- thanks for the great suggestion Sharon! I will post again soon, I need some help from all my peeps, so check back!

Splinched

I was trying to change my layout to a more appropriate theme now that Christmas is over and for some reason it has half the new layout and half the old layout. I'm sure you can guess which is which. I don't know how to read all the computer language: *>>,/body..-+* I usually choose a blog from: http://cutestblogontheblock.blogspot.com/ but it is temporarily under construction and chose an alternate. I just copied and pasted and it will show the right background for 2 seconds, then changes to green. Weird. Anyway, hope you enjoy the splinching of my layouts, if you didn't know I was trying to change it you may not have noticed the discrepincies!
Speaking of moving on to new seasons we just got rid of our Christmas tree and now we have a trail of pine needles showing the path we took. I guess I should go clean that up....

Oh, and I changed the name of my blog, because I was thinking that, "All about Shavonne" seemed a little conceited. And for those wondering, "Shavrek" is the blending of our names and the user name Derek usually chooses when he plays a computer game, or has to think up a name for a character.

I'm Defective, I guess...

That caught your attention! haha, I was just reading some stuff about how working out supposedly gives you more energy and thinking, "That's a bunch of crap!" So I decided to post about it and see if it really does give more energy to the average person. By average person, I mean just everyday people that try to work out, and do it ok, but not crazy-workout-animals. I am not in that category, and so it wouldn't help me. I've been working about about 4 times a week for the last 9 weeks and I do not feel any more energized. It is frustrating being tired all the time, and I was hoping it would be magically dissapated by being more active. I'm sure nothing can break through the "Working-Nights-Hangover" it's worse than cryptonite to superman! Anyway, any of you actually felt more energy from working out regularly?
Thanks for listening to my little rant, and hope your New Year's resolutions are still going strong!

Homemade Pasta - It's easier than you think!

I think I mentioned for Christmas that Derek got me a pasta maker attachment for my kitchenaid. We used it tonight with fabulous results! Actually Derek already "tested" it out for me a few nights ago while I was at work... so he was my tutor tonight. It was so easy, and really good! It took about three minutes to mix together, then you roll it out a little, then do the rest on the attacment, like so:

We made spinach pasta, which was just fresh spinach that we blended in a food processor, then flour, eggs, and a little bit of water. And Voila! Pasta! I didn't think it tasted any different from the pasta Derek made plain, than with the spinach, but it was alot better than that dried stuff. It made enough for 6 portions, so we froze the rest of the dough balls, to be used another time.

It kind of looks like a salad with the green pasta. We boiled the pasta for about two mintues, then I made pasta "sauce". I don't really like marinara sauce, to Derek's disapointment. He always wants me to make spaghetti, or lasagna for him, and I dont' as often as I should. Anyway this is one of my favorite toppings, and its really easy also. I just chop up some tomatoes, mince some garlic, fresh chopped basil, olive oil and ground salt and pepper. I don't really have exact measurements. It makes a delicious mixture. Sometimes I'll eat just this with some fresh mozzarella like a Caprese salad. Yummy