Coco's Birthday Balloons

    Sorry for my absence! I know it's been a while, but life has been getting complicated. And by complicated I mean busy. And by busy I mean that I've had little to no motivation to write.
    I know. I'm a terrible person and there's no way that my writing will improve unless I do it every day (which I may have said in the beginning was the primary reason for starting this endeavor. I suck, I know.).
     Anyways, Coco's birthday was last week and mine is next week so we're meeting up this week to celebrate! I ordered him something super special and came up with the cutest idea to package it and give it to him. In hindsight, I realize I should've taken pictures while I was making it and putting it all together. I took one initially showing all my supplies, but I get so absorbed in what I'm doing I forget to pause and take more.
     Those of you who know me personally know I love making things for Corey. Almost every holiday or celebration I make something cute. Frequently something scrapbookerly, although I don't actually scrapbook. He always buys me the nicest things, but I'm broke, for the most part. Making things is how I show I care. Here are a few examples: 

This was my first Book of Notes. I made it for his 21 birthday, last year.

I forgot to take detailed photos of the second Book of Notes, which I gave him upon his return from Afghanistan. (The second page with the heart stitching is Georgia and Afghanistan. Cute right?)

This is from his Exploding Box of Love that I gave him for Christmas. Directions to make it are here. Basically, you open the box and all the side panels fall open. There are multiple layers, but on each one I put a cute little note or something.

    Anyhoo. This time I saved up so I could get him something nice. I won't say what it is just in case he happens to read this before he opens it. But I'll say that it's small enough to hold in one hand. But I couldn't resist making something, too. So this is my little idea.
    Coco loves his puzzles - brain teasers and the like. It's his 22 birthday, so I got 22 neon balloons (sort of transparent, so you can see inside). I wrote down 22 reasons why I love him and stuck them in the balloons prior to inflation along with some confetti. In 11 of them, I put the letters that spell out what I got him. In order to open his gift, he has to first pop the balloons, sending confetti flying and unscramble the letters to figure out what I gave him. I put them all in an enormous bag with his gift box in the bottom. There are even some balloons inside the box with his gift in it, but they don't have letters, just cute notes. I then supplied him with a card explaining the rules with a pushpin taped inside.
    How cute is that? I'm so excited. And I hope all the little notes are a good enough buildup to his actual gift.

Just Another Ordinary Day

Listening to Ordinary Day by Vanessa Carlton - remember her? My sister Maggie and I are kind of on a Calrton Kick. (Side note, end of the music video for Pretty Baby? Creeptastic.)
Devouring Andes Mints like there's no tomorrow. 
    I know. You thought I'd be gone for good, didn't you? Well, I almost was. But I know y'all can't live without my semi-monthly brief life updates (catch the sarcasm there?).
    Lots of stuff has been going on - like COCO GETTING TO COME HOME TWO MONTHS EARLY. Yeah. That happened. And also school started, which has been coco-puffs coocoo. I only have four classes this semester, but one is a hybrid. And that hybrid happens to be for my first education class. Ew, right? (Speaking of, that's another thing Maggie's gotten me hooked on. I've started doing it in everyday conversations then cracking up.) My other classes are British Lit. beginnings to 1660, which I have with Moose if y'all remember me mentioning him once way back here (we're good buddies now, despite what either of us predicted initially), Econ, and Latin 2001. Yay, dead language.
    I did a good bit of shopping yesterday and hopefully my new order from e.l.f. will come in soon and I can share my experiences with them. In the meantime, check out these cute ankle-zip jeggings I got from AE.

Yay!

Peachy

Listening to What A Girl Wants Soundtrack (Yeah, the Amanda Bynes movie. You know you loved it.)
Craving Chick-fil-a - what's  new?
    I know, I fell off the face of the earth. Again. I've been a bit busy. But on the bright side, when I have time, I've been working out with my bffl Suzie-cutes, and I even signed up for classes yesterday - right? I do have to meet with my adviser this coming Monday or Tuesday to officially change my major to English Ed, and hopefully get into one more class if he has mercy on my procrastinating soul, but aside from that I'm set up for a busy semester! I recently had some stuff done to my foot which put me out of the loop for a week or so, and had to get the same thing done again this past Monday, which was no fun, but with luck this will be the last time. In between those two incidents, of course, I got sick. But things are looking up!
   I was doing so well, you know, with the whole Wordy Wednesdays thing, but I've got something to make it up to you - a recipe! I know, right? The queen of Chick-fil-A in a kitchen? What is the world coming to? But it's really yummy and summery, and get this: healthy. Stop the presses! Sarah Jane is becoming a health nut! ... Well, not so much, but I'm trying to do better. So here you go: Homemade Peach Frozen Yogurt!

All you need (for one serving) is two peaches, a small container of vanilla Greek yogurt, sugar or sugar substitute (I prefer sugar because Splenda isn't really good for you at all and Stevia just doesn't cut it for me. Plus it's only a teaspoon. If I'm doing sugar I'm doing it right.), and vanilla extract. Plus, you know, a freezer and a blender/food processor.

The vanilla isn't in the photo because I had to go buy some. hee hee.

Step One: Peel both peaches.

(Or ask a grown-up to do it for you! Nick Jr. anyone?)

Step Two: Slice into thin wedges and freeze for an hour. (I promise the wait is worth it.)

Step Three: Put the peaches in your blender/food processor and blend a little to chop them up. You may have to let them thaw a tad to get them out of the bowl, or if you're lazy like me, microwave for twenty seconds.

Step Four: Add half the container of Greek yogurt, one teaspoon vanilla extract, and one teaspoon sugar.

Step Five: Blend until smooth. You may have to stop and stir periodically. Frozen peaches are stubborn little things. 

Step Six: Enjoy!

Super easy and super delicious! Plus it's not super unhealthy! And I'm sure it would be delicious with other fruits. Maybe like pineapple and mango? Yum!