Moving Scenes and Makin' Pepper Jelly with Mom

HELLO EVERYONE!

I know it's been a couple of weeks - and yes, our computer is still packed up on a truck and headed to Whidbey - but I'm writing this post from my NEW LAPTOP!  Bo found a great deal for it on Black Friday; and now that it is all set up and ready to use, I figured a blog post was the perfect inaugural project!

First things first, 

here are a few scenes from our most recent move from Jacksonville:

Dining Room and Living Room

Living Room

Office

Office

Guest Bedroom

Poor little Lola girl had to stay either outside - or in her crate - throughout packing/moving day(s).  She was a little sad, as you can see; but she didn't whine or bark once.
Truth be told, I think she was just a little depressed that she wasn't able to make any new friends!

We arrived safely in Springville, AL on November 30 (my mom, step-dad, and step-brothers all live there).  Whenever my mom and I are together, we try our best to make the most of our time.  This time, one of the first things on our "to-do" list was to make H-O-T pepper jelly.  So, bright and early on December 1st we woke up and got to work!

First, I had to dissolve the sugar into the vinegar.

Second, we had to chop the H-O-T peppers.

Lola, of course, fulfilled her role as kitchen supervisor! ;)

Me, stirring and...stirring and...stirring and...

Look at all those beautiful colors after dumping in the pepper and carrots.

Although she wouldn't let me take a face-shot of her (supposedly because she had no make-up on and hadn't fixed her hair), I assure you that my mother WAS in the kitchen.  

Here's the evidence!

Then Lola proceeded to lay on mom's foot while she stirred the jelly mixture.
It's a good thing she's cute because she sure can get in the way!

When I stepped outside with Lola for a walk, this is the sky that greeted me.

Alabama really is the land of the beautiful.

When Lola and I returned from our walk, the jelly was done!  

In the end, mom and I made six beautiful - and S-P-I-C-Y - jars of deliciousness.  Spread a little cream cheese onto a cracker and "Wha-la!," you have YUMM-O in appetizer form.

Oh, and did I mention the colors?!  

They are simply divine.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever eaten pepper jelly?!  If so, did you eat the green or the red kind?  What did you think?  Did you like it?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Halloween Fun

Yesterday, Bo and I started celebrating Halloween a couple of days nights early by carving pumpkins with friends!  Believe it or not, this was my very first time to carve a pumpkin; so I was pretty excited about it.  Even though I cook all the time, I'm not really all that skilled at handling knives.  I've cut myself MANY more times than I would like to admit.  Regardless, I figured that Bo and I could tag-team our efforts and end up with a beautifully carved pumpkin...and all ten of our fingers in tact.  Thankfully, I was right!

Our friends Bethany and Andrew hosted the pumpkin-carving-shindig, and being the wonderful hosts that they are, everything down to the libations was Halloween themed.  I don't think that I would ever think of details like this, but they really do take a party from your average-holiday-get-together to something-really-memorable.

Details matter.

Note taken.

I also meant to capture a picture of the candy popcorn Bethany made, but it was all eaten by the time I got around to it.  I think she got her inspiration from Pinterest, and it was something like this.  

SO. ADDICTIVE.  

SO. GOOD.

Once everyone had a drink and a few handfuls of popcorn, the pumpkin carving real fun began!

I was in charge of cutting the top off; and once I successfully did that, I handed it over to Bo for the dirty work (i.e. scooping out the pumpkin guts)!

Then we all started carving!  

Sidenote: In honor of my upcoming trip to Boston to visit my friend Colbi, AND to see the final installment of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, I found a template for a werewolf (I've always been Team Edward - not Team Jacob - but the templates for Edward and Bella were simply way too advanced for first-time carvers such as myself).

Mid-carving photo-op!

(Can you tell I was hot?!  My face was as red as a cherry!)

Almost done...

TA-DA!

Bo and I were both really pleased with the final result.  

Our handiwork was pretty good - much better than expected - if I do say so myself.

All of our friends did amazing jobs too...we are one talented bunch!

By the end of the night, we had some pretty awesome pumpkins to display!

Glowing.

What does a werewolf + a Boo! + a kittie cat + and one grumpy pumpkin equal (=)?

Why one awesome night of FUN, of course!

Happy Halloween week everyone!

Question of the Day:

What do you do to celebrate Halloween?!  Do you dress up?  Go trick-or-treat-ing?  Carve jak-o-lanterns?  Watch scary movies?  Whatever it is, I would love to hear all about it in the "Comment" section below!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Top 11 Things About 2011 & a New Year's Resolution

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Can you believe it's already 2012?!  Where did 2011 go? 

I know that for some of you 2011 might not have been the blue ribbon year that you had hoped it would be, but for me, it was one of my best year's yet!  In fact, I had so many wonderful things happen in my life during the past year that I don't feel like I can adequately embrace 2012 until I take a few moments to focus on all those blessings. 

That's what this post is all about!  Before stating my resolution for 2012, I would like to review some of the great things about 2011.  So what are we waiting for?  Let's get started!

Top 11 Things About 2011

• I saw my best friend, Liza, and my cousin, John Mark, get married (Not to one another silly!  In separate weddings!).

Liza and Brian's Wedding Party



John Mark and Hillary's Rehearsal Dinner



• I read more books for pleasure (i.e. The Distant Hours, The Tiger's Curse Series, and Secret Daughter just to name a few).

• I started this blog (a dream that I had had for a year or more!).

• I lived in three different cities and states this year: Santa Fe, Mexico; Enid, Oklahoma; and Corpus Christi, Texas.

• Bo and I went to Alabama, my home state, for the Christmas holiday.

• I made great new friends...and deepened my relationship with old ones.

• I deepened my personal yoga practice through both meditation and asana.

• I improved my cooking skills!
• Note: As evidence, check out the ABC blog's Recipage here: http://www.recipage.com/allyandbochronicles/

• I completed my second consecutive year of remission from ED.

• I received my 200 hr. RYT certification from Satchidinanda Ashram-Yogaville in "Integral Yoga Hatha Asanas & Pranayama: Beginning Level".
• Note: I am a Yoga Alliance certified teacher.

• I married the love of my life, Bo Behne!

Now that I have taken the time to express appreciation for some of the great things from 2011, I am ready to state my resolution for 2012.  Here goes nothing!

New Year's Resolution  2012: I will travel outside of the United States!

Notice that I said "will travel" as opposed to "would like to travel," because  I believe in the power of positive words and positive thinking!

Here's hoping for the best of 2012 for each and every one of you!

Up next- a breakfast recipe made famous by a sweet family friend, Senora Lulu Rodriguez from Guanajuato, Mexico!

Question of the Day:

What is your New Year's Resolution?!

Blessings,

Ally and Bo

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to one and all!

Although I don't have time for a full post today, I wanted to stop in and wish everyone a wonderful holiday season.  Tomorrow Bo and I will be heading to Alabama to spend Christmas with my family.  However, we have a lot to do before catching our flight in the morning!  I have dozens of blog post ideas floating in my head, but unfortunately they will all have to wait until I return on the 28th of December! 

What can you expect when I get back to blogging?!

1. a yoga project and a visit from a yoga friend;
2. soup, soup, and more soup recipes(!);
3. "breakfast of champions" recipes;
4. a "blue" book review;
5. New Year's resolutions; and
6. much, much more!

Question of the Day:

Do you have any requests for blog topics?  I am totally open to your suggestions!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo