Giveaway Winner!!!!!

Today is the day that I announce the winner of my giveaway :) It was so cool to read everyone's random facts. I felt like I got to know something cool about each person.

I used the random number generator to pick a number between 1 and 15 because that is how many entries I had. I assigned each person a number and then used those numbers to figure out who was the winner.

Sooooo... the winner is Kellie from Getthewordsout!

(Kellie, I already have your address from the pen pal stuff, so I will send your package tomorrow or Friday)

Again, that you all for participating and for being a part of my blog.

ps. Be sure to check out my previous post to see my Wednesday Wishes :)

Wednesday Wishes

Yay! It's Wednesday again, so it is time for another round of wishes. I have decided that today's wishes are all going to be blasts from the past. You know, things I wanted earlier in my life.

source

1. I always wished that I could be the person who got to decorate T.G.I. Fridays. It seemed like the coolest job ever to go out and look for exciting junk and then use it to decorate an entire restaurant. The possibilities seemed endless.

source
In junior high I was sure that my life wouldn't be complete without a pager. You know that you wanted one too. Then, one Christmas my wish came true and I got one. The only problem was, you had to be near an actual phone to answer those urgent 911 calls from a friend. I thought it was a big old pain and so the pager phase didn't last long.

source

3. A glowworm...sleep would have been sweeter with this lovely

source

4. I wanted to go to Penn State so bad when I was in junior high. My family lives in PA, though nowhere near Penn State. I changed my mind about this one as I got older and didn't want to leave my friends and family.

source unknown

5. When I was in my early 20's I wanted to be a part of the animal liberation movement. It doesn't seem like a possibility right now because I have a young child that I can't bear to be away from. This could cause a problem if I had to do a stint of jail time. Soooo, maybe when I am 50 or 60?


What were your wishes from childhood/adolescence?

Happy Wednesday!

Be sure to check out Courtney, Kellie, and Liz's blogs for their wishes.

To Do Tuesday

Oh my goodness, my to do list is a mile long this week, but I am pairing it down to just the things I really want to get done.

1. Attend my sister's sweet 16 party. She is having a Mardi Gras themed bash in our backyard. We have been planning and preparing for like a month. Now the yard looks beautiful, but we have to cook and decorate. I am in charge of vegan delights and cupcakes for her vegan and veggie friends. My mom is dressing up like a fortune teller, Josh is the bartender/DJ, my sister's mom is cooking gumbo and Cajun food, and our dad is "running security" lol. It should be a lot of fun.

Sleep. Oh how I wish that sleep and I could be better friends. I am hoping that this week will be the week that I catch up on all of the sleep that I miss due to a lovely gift I have called insomnia.

3. Watch Elegy. I checked it out from the library and I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to watch it. I am not a huge fan of Penelope Cruz, but I love Ben Kingsley. Has anyone ever seen Death and the Maiden with him and Sigourney Weaver. So disturbing, but brilliant acting.

4. Craft! I still have to make 24 of my craft for the craft swap, a necklace for Courtney, and anything I want to give John for Easter. I better get cracking. ps- That isn't my adorable craft room, just one I found on weheartit.

6. CLEAN! It is time for some full on spring cleaning. My mom is taking John for the day on Thursday so I can clean my apartment and my dad's house from top to bottom. I never thought I would see the day when cleaning would be a pleasure, it is amazing how becoming a mom changes things :)

John playing with his dinosaur (which is riding a train) before we got our meal at Pita Jungle
I haven't posted a picture of my little man in a few days. He is finally getting over this latest round of sickness. Today, out of nowhere he said Gobble Gobble, clear as day. Kids are so gloriously random.

Happy Tuesday!

All images from weheartit.com, except the cover of Elegy, which came from this site.

Hello New Blog Friends

I just wanted to give a big HELLO to all of the ladies that are stopping by from the craft swap.

I am looking forward to reading your blogs and to exchanging crafts. I have a giveaway going on right now, so don't be shy. You can click here to enter.

Thank You all for visiting my little corner of the internet :)

Katie V.

I was looking through some old scanned pictures on my computer and ran across this beauty. I know it isn't a picture, but it is still a gem. I know it is impossible to read, so let me recreate it for you. It is a letter from my husbands teacher to his parents. Apperantly, all of this took place at 8:45 in the morning.
1. Called boy a "Dumb Moose"
2. Told a boy he, "Farts too much"
3. Told another boy, "I made you do the farting dance"
4. Told a boy, "He is going to fart on his card"
5. Told a boy, "You're a poop card"
6. Rang the teachers bell
7. Called a girl Pinnochio and laughed at her nose
8. Said "Where is the farting popcorn?"
9. Called a boy s "stinking fart"

The teacher then goes on to say that Josh told her he did all of these things because the other kids laughed.

After I read this I realized that my husband hasn't changed much in 20 years :)

Veganism (kinda long)

I am Vegan.

I haven't really ever made any posts about why I am a vegan, or what it means to me to be vegan. I don't even really talk to people about it all that often. I know that I should, and I am proud of my lifestyle, but the people that I know always want to argue with me about it. Sometimes it is as if people think that I feel superior because I don't consume animal products. So, I usually end up avoiding the subject and answering questions at a bare minimum. Luckily, with the blog people have the option to just stop reading if they are annoyed. As an added bonus, it people attack me about it, I also have the option to stop reading the comment. So, I figured I would do a little post on why I am a vegan. I promise I won't make it too long :)

I became a vegetarian almost 6 years ago. I had tried off and on throughout my teens, but couldn't make it stick. As I got older I realized that I had no right to eat meat. I felt like it was wrong of me to consume meat just because it was easy to pick up a package off of a shelf. I knew, and know, in my heart that I could never actually kill anything, so why was it ok for me to eat it just because I didn't do the killing with my own hands? Then I started doing some research on factory farms, and what I saw just broke my heart. I am not even going to go into it because I don't think this is the forum, but it is awful. So I stopped eating meat.

Then, in January of 2009, I saw this documentary.

It is just a small independent documentary, but it really struck a chord with me. It made me realize that being a vegetarian was only half of the solution. I mean, I had already stopped wearing or using animal products, but I did still consume dairy, eggs, and honey. The movie made me realize that I was still responsible for harming/killing animals because the animal industries are so intertwined. I couldn't drink a glass of milk without feeling guilty, so I stopped cold turkey. I haven't looked back one time. I also raise my son as a vegan, and before anyone asks...he does get enough protein :) My husband is slowly coming around. He eats fish, blah, but he is getting there and I don't push him.

Since I went vegan I lost a ton of weight and I just feel better about my decision. I know that it is not for everyone, although I wish that it was, but it is absolutely the right choice for me. I feel about veganism the way that some people might feel about their religion. There just isn't any other choice that would work for me.

I get it, some vegans are a pain in the butt, but I really do try not to be.

I try to abide by the idea that I will not judge you and I hope that you will give me the same courtesy.

My First Giveaway!

I said that I was going to have a giveaway when I reached 15 followers, and now I have 16! So, I figured I need to get my butt in gear and have this giveaway. I really have been having so much fun with this little blog. All of the comments mean so much to me, and I love being able to follow your blogs too!


So here is the giveaway...






It is nothing huge, it is my first after all, but I am excited anyway. The goodies include:

A brown photo album with teal flowers on the front

A cutie bear magnet.

A small pin that says, Green is the New Black

A heavy metal bracelet with green accents

3 pinwheels, I think they would be so cute in flower pots :)

A little owl, handmade by me.

Plus, there may be one or two surprises :)

What do you have to do?

1. Be a follower and leave a comment with some bit of random information about yourself. I love learning quirky things about people.
2. Blog about the giveaway. Please leave a link in the comments
So there are two chances to win. I will pick a name on Wednesday, March 31 and I will mail out the package on the April 1st.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to read my blog :)

Lars

Ok, I know it seems like I watch a lot of movies, like a ton, and that is probably true. In my defense, I almost never just sit and watch a movie (which makes my husband a little crazy.) I am usually crafting or doing something similar while watching a movie, so it isn't a total waste of time :) And, I really like movies, so there :)

Anyway, tonight I watched Lars and the Real Girl. I expected it to be a silly, quirky movie. Instead it felt like so much more. It was a sweet, funny, touching, quirky movie. I don't really want to go into too many details, I never do. I think this is a movie where different people will probably get different things from it. I would recommend it though.

Also, John is sick again. He has been holding out for a while. He has had a runny nose for two weeks, but it took that long to turn into something. I am going to take him to the doctors tomorrow because he has a fever now. That always means he has an ear infection. It is so incredibly hard to see him sick all the time. I start to feel responsible, like I am doing something wrong. He has the healthiest diet of any child on the planet, but I can't keep him healthy. So as an extension to Wednesday wishes I would like to add the most important one of all...that John could stay healthy.

Arrrgggg...

No, I didn't become a pirate. The Arrrggg is my exhausted noise.

I just did Cardio X, which is a part of P90X and I am spent. Hopefully the exercise won't kill me :)

Wednesday Wishes

It is Wednesday again. You know what that means...

source
I wish that I was back in Portland. I miss my little house in the ghetto. I miss Mt. Hood, the beach, Multnomah Falls, the weather, the people, the activism, the city. I miss everything except missing my parents. If it weren't for them I would be right back there.


source
I wish that I was back in school. I am really good at school, some might even say a professional student. I love homework and reports. I love the structure. Mostly, I just love being good at something that I really like to do.

source

I wish that I had what it takes to climb Mount Everest. I would love to see her in person in all of her majesty. Josh and I have talked about going just to base camp some day. It is on my bucket list for sure.

source

I wish I had this embroidery! Oh Tim Gunn, could you just come and reinvent my wardrobe. Or even just sit on my couch and tell me funny stories :)

What are you wishing for this week? Be sure to check out Courtney, Kellie, and Liz's wishes. They are the best :)

There Will Be Blood....and a giveaway :)

I drink your milkshaaaake!!!
I watched There Will Be Blood a few nights ago and it is still stuck in my mind. Daniel Day Lewis never disappoints and he was phenomenal in this movie. He was so calculated but so unhinged. It was a pretty simple storyline, but Paul Thomas Anderson, who wrote it and directed it, kept things coming that made the movie stay interesting. I don't think it would be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. Plus, Daniel's wacky speech at the end was worth watching the whole movie for.

Has anyone else seen it? What did you think? I have never seen Magnolia, also by P.T. Anderson, but now I am thinking I might need to watch it.

Aaaand, I just reached 15 followers, which seems like a pretty big deal to me. I am pretty excited :)

So, I am going to have a giveaway this weekend. Nothing huge, but I will make sure to have things that people will like. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up :)

Be back later for Wednesday Wishes

Katie

To Do Tuesday Volume 3

Well I actually did fairly well at completing the tasks from last weeks list.
I successfully celebrated my little sister's sweet 16, exercised three times, finished most of my pen pal letters, and got a new pair of sunglasses.

These are the ones I got. Josh says they remind him of a mom from the 80's. Oddly enough, that comparison doesn't bother me as it once might have.

Here is this weeks list...

1. Get my Easter decorations made and put up. One of my Day Zero goals is to decorate for every holiday for a year. In order to do that I need to actually have some decorations, which means I will need to make some decorations.



2. Exercise at least three times, including at least one long bike ride. Interesting side note...when John was about 3 months old I sat on one of his toys and broke my tailbone. It is still not normal almost two years later. Because of this I have a big old padded grandma seat on my bike.

3. Go to the doctors and get some prescriptions taken care of.

4. Deal with what is making me so angry. This means having a confrontation, which is something that I literally NEVER do.

5. Have tea with an old friend.

6. Finish season 3 of Big Love, featuring the lovely lady above.

Of course, I hope to accomplish more than just these six things this week, but this is a start.

Happy Tuesday :)

ps. As usual...all images from weheartit.com

Vegan Eatin',Radicalness, and one of my tattoos

Courtney asked me what we ate at Green (my fave vegan place) when we went on Saturday. I took a few pictures while we were there, so I will share those along with the menu.

I got a mock chicken Parmesan sandwich with Daiya cheese. It tastes just like what I remember chicken tasting like, but better because it isn't really chicken :) The fries there are so delicious. They are crispy but not too crispy and have some kind of seasoning that is mouth watering.

As I said, we went back later in the evening for dinner. I know... I am considering attending some kind of meeting to help with my addiction. Anyway, I just got appetizers but it was like a full meal. I had pablano hummus and pita chips AND eggless rolls.

Joshua got the spicy chicken sandwich and fresh fruit. You know how when you go to chain restaurants and get fruit you end up with a half frozen melon medley? Well not here. He got organic blueberries, pineapple, red pears, mango and strawberries. So happy to be spending the day together and pigging out

I got two pen pal letters today! Thanks so much to Courtney and Lindsay. Writing these letters might become my newest addiction.

I love this shirt. I got it at the Kathy Griffin show, which was fabulous. It makes me laugh to see the reactions that I get in my conservative town.

Kellie asked me about my foot tattoo in one of her comments. I don't really have very many pictures that show it well, but here is one that is semi-decent. I love this tattoo so much. It really does make me happy every time I see it, which is the point, isn't it?

This was the inspiration
That is it for me tonight. I have to go do a workout with my husband. P90X to be exact, blech. I hate working out.

Happy Monday everyone :)

Things I Love Right Now...

I didn't do very much today. John came home from his grandmothers, minus most of his hair, but that is another story. I just wanted to be with him and enjoy his company for the day so we spent almost the whole day playing in the back yard.

Since I don't really have any excitement to share, I figured I would share some of my favorite things right now.

source

I love the color orange, it makes me happy. Aside from being orange, there is something about this door that peaks my interest. The hard wear is beautiful, the woodwork is beautiful, it is just so...beautiful :) I have always wanted a house with a colored front door. I have always thought it would be red, but now I am thinking that orange would suite my family so much better.

source

This quote. You know those moments when everything in your world is exactly as it should be, only you aren't really thinking about it because you are totally consumed by the moment. Everything you see, everything you hear, smell and taste. Everything you feel. It is all exactly as you'd imagine. You can't explain them or plan for them, and they are infuriatingly rare, but they are what heaven must be made out of. This quote just describes those moments perfectly.

source unknown

How quotable is this movie... "just an FYI, I have kicked wholesale ass for a lot less than that." It kills me every time. And it doesn't hurt that Woody Harrelson is so cute. I remember loving him on Cheers.

source

Lemonade...it just tastes like summer in a glass.

source unknow

Atlas Shrugged. Always has been and probably always will be...my favorite. I hadn't read it in years, but it still manages to touch all the right nerves. I have never read a book that gets me so aggravated and excited and passionate.

source

Smooching. Enough Said.

Well, I should be reading or creating something. I haven't done anything crafty since my sisters bag, which was last Tuesday. I have been feeling so uncreative lately, but my heart is telling me that I need to make something. I wonder what it will be.

ps, I have three more pen pal letters to write. I am having so much fun :)