Modest-iny

#Pray For Oklahoma

2013-05-21T18:28:00.003-05:00

I have been watching and reading news reports all day about the tornado that ripped through Oklahoma. And it hit me hard that it could easily be anyone including me and my family. Watching those people that lost everything and hearing that so many little kids lost their lives is really messing with me. Questions are going through my mind. Are we prepared? Where would we go? What would we do? Memphis sees this type of weather all the time. And as I write this post, a tornado warning is in affect and news reporters are warning us to be prepared. So this is really getting to me.

So it is an understatement to say that this tragedy has hit me hard. I am praying for the lives affected by this storm and I pray that they will be able to pick up the pieces of their lives. May God be with them. #PrayForOklahoma <3

BzzReview: Yogurt Smoothie Bars!!!

2013-05-21T17:28:00.001-05:00

My latest BzzCampaign features Kroger's Yogurt Smoothie Bars. BzzAgent sent my a BzzKit that included a free coupon for Kroger Yogurt Smoothie Bars as well as $1 off coupons on a variety of other guilt-free products. The kit could not have come at a better time with the Memphis heat kicking my butt. You can't beat free, especially free frozen treats in the summer.

I purchased the Strawberry Banana flavor smoothie bars with my free coupon and really liked it. I never knew that something low-fat could be so good! I used to shy away from these types of products fearing that they would have no flavor and a weird texture, but that is not so with these bars. These bars were so rich and creamy and had actual strawberries! I will most definitely purchasing these bars again.

#GotItFree

It's Sushi Time...

2012-09-22T00:07:00.001-05:00

Wow! It has been awhile since I posted anything on here. This semester really has been a killer and has taken all of the energy out of me. But I felt it was time to post something new. And why not start off with my day out with my mother.

Today was her birthday(should I dare tell her age) and I wanted to treat her. Today was my mother's birthday and I wanted to take her somewhere different than just our regular old places. So we went to Saito's Japanese and Vietnamese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar. And boy oh boy, was it good. My brother, mother, and I tried some new types of Sushi and had some Chicken and Shrimp fried rice that was to die for.

Afterwards, we went to Sheridan's and ordered some custard. I got a brownie sundae that was heavenly. Then we all went home to spend some family time together. All in all, we had a great day! Happy Birthday mom <3

Best egg rolls ever!

Sheridan's brownie sundae

My mom and brother

While Out…

2012-08-22T00:20:00.001-05:00

I decided to bring my camera while the family and I went for a quick drive. For some reason I have been feeling like quite the photographer. And I have no idea why. But it was just too beautiful outside to pass up taking a few snaps while out.

I a got a couple of pictures of the beautiful Memphis sky and of my handsome nephew laughing and smiling.

I also got a picture of the dying corn crops that are found all around the city. It hurts seeing all that delicious corn dry roasting in the sun. Darn that pesky drought!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies!

2012-08-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

I've got another quick and easy recipe for you guys. Unlike my last recipe that was no-bake, this recipe requires the oven. I know, I know. It's summer and it's hot everywhere, but I can promise you these flourless peanut butter cookies are worth making your house 100 degrees.

These cookies were so unbelievable gooey and peanut buttery. And they kind of remind me of the peanut butter cookies from Subway, which I am obsessed with. Who would have thought you could make cookies without flour? Not me! And that is why I had to make them for myself. And I am now a believer. So this recipe is most definitely going in my OneNote Recipe Notebook. Enjoy!

Flourless Cookie Recipe

1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of sugar ( I did 1/2 white sugar 1/2 brown sugar)
1 egg
Finely chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix sugar and egg together, then add peanut butter. Form into 1" balls and press with fork.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about a dozen.

Easiest Fudge Recipe Ever!

2012-08-06T14:23:00.001-05:00

This fudge was way too easy to be so delicious. This recipe took about 3 minutes to throw together and most of that was melting the chocolate chips! It only requires 2 ingredients and each ingredient can be substituted to make the fudge better tailored to your palette. You can literally use any can of frosting and any type of morsel like chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch, and this recipe will turn out great. And to take it up a notch, add some candy or nuts to add to the smooth texture of the fudge. I am sure this recipe will be added to your collection. Enjoy!

Frosting Fudge Recipe:

1 container of frosting (any kind you prefer)
1 bag of chocolate chips (or peanut butter, butterscotch, etc)
Nuts, candy, or dried fruit(optional)

Directions:

Melt morsels
Mix in frosting.
Pour into greased/lined 8x8 or 9x9 pan.
Chill for at least 4 hours.
Slice into bars and enjoy!

Adorkable Is the New Hot!

2012-08-02T12:05:00.000-05:00

Every Monday is "Whatta Man" Monday on ThatsWhatWeSaid. They poll the female audience on two or more men and we pick who the winner is. And last weeks men to pick from were John Krasinski and Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the "Quirky Guy" Edition. While I truly love both. I had to go with Krasinski. He just seems perfect to me. Funny, cute, smart. What else can you ask for in a man? Seriously girls we need to go with these guys and leave the "bad boys" alone.

But in no way are they the only two guys with the adorable dorky style. So I decided to make a list of all of my favorite adorkable celeb guys, whether they play adorkable on TV or are the real thing.

Maybe next I will post my favorite adorkable girls. It seems only fair, right?

John Krasinski

Michael Cera

Aldris Hodge

Andy Samberg

Paul Rudd

All the Guys from "The Big Bang Theory"

Chewy Oatmeal Bars!

2012-07-30T23:42:00.001-05:00

Today I made Chewy Oatmeal Bars. I originally wanted to make some old fashion granola bars with nuts and chocolate chips but I was missing a few key ingredients like nuts and chocolate chips(Lol). All I had was some Aldi's baking mix, quick oats, white sugar, and butter. The original recipe called for brown sugar and it probably would have been better for this recipe, but I didn't have any. So I used white sugar and add some a little syrup to the mixture. Also, I didn't have any extras like nuts or chocolate chips, so I added a tad bit more oatmeal to replace the missing items. Besides making a few tweaks, the bars turned out great. They were crunchy on the top and soft and buttery in the middle. I hope you try this recipe. Enjoy!

Before bars are baked.

After bars have baked for 17 minutes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup baking mix
1 1/2 cup quick oats
1 cup white sugar or brown sugar (I only had white)
1 stick of butter
1 egg (I didn't have eggs, but I used 3 tablespoons of mayo)
1/2 cup of chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until texture is crumbly. Then press mixture evenly into a lightly greased pan. Bake bars on 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until center is set. Let bars cool a bit, then cut into squares.

Celebs Read Mean Tweets...

2012-07-26T09:43:00.002-05:00

about themselves. We all know how mean people can be on Twitter and people can be even more cruel to celebrities. So Jimmy Kimmel did a segment on his show about the abuse they receive everyday on Twitter and it is really funny. The video features celebs like Kristen Stewart, Matt LeBlanc, James Van Der Beek, Katy Perry, and Zooey Deschanel. But to me, the bit with Matt LeBlanc was the funniest. He was like "go bleep yourself" and that's always fun.

It is nice to see that some celebs can take a joke and not get too offended. I don't know if I could have been as cool, so kudos to them!

7 TV Shows That Need To Go Away!

2012-07-25T21:13:00.000-05:00

Madamenoire.com composed a list of 7 shows they believe should have called it quits awhile back. Show that made their list inlude:

106 and Park
Jersey Shore
The Game
The Real World
American Idol
Basketball Wives
Teen Mom

I agree with all of the shows they mentioned. But I want to add my 2 cents and include a few shows I also think should go away!

Bad Girls Club - None of the girls are really bad, just loud and crazy. There's a difference.
Gossip Girl - Everyone used to talk about this show, now I hear nothing about it.
America's Next Top Model - Got boring after a few seasons. Plus the models never make a big splash.
Toddlers and Tiaras - If we've seen one little girl dressed like a hooker, we've seen them all. It's creepy.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians - Boring because who cares anymore? But I still love Khloe & Lamar.
Two and a Half Men - Boring after Charlie Sheen's crazy self was fired
Love & Hip-Hop - The first and second seasons in NYC were pretty good, but this trashy third season in Atlanta is way too scripted and sleazy.

What shows would you add to the list? I would love to see your selections.

No Doubt's 2012 Comeback!!!

2012-07-25T20:18:00.003-05:00

All I can say is... about time. Lol. For real, I loved Gwen's solo album, but I was missing the old No Doubt days. So I was thrilled when they released their new single "Settle Down" last week(click here to watch). It gave me that 90's ska vibe that No Doubt does so well. The single was not the best to me, but it gets the job done.

But they threw me off when they performed at the Teen Choice Awards on last Sunday. I don't know if they wanted to or were asked to perform but I do not believe that was the best place for No Doubt to make their big comeback. Why? Because the Teen Choice Awards are full of a bunch of 11-16 year old girls that probably don't know who No Doubt is. All they want to see is Justin Bieber, the "Twilight" cast, and One Direction (whoever they are). I believe they should have waited for a more "adult-friendly" event to debut new music because no one was buzzing about them that night. Not with all the teen hormones in the air. Sorry.

But I have to give it to them. They all still look really good, especially Gwen Stefani who looks way better than the music chicks half her age. She is 42 and rocking it! Go Gwen!

What I'm Watching

2012-07-20T19:39:00.000-05:00

Up tonight is...

Chloe on LifeTime. I watched this movie once when it first came out, but haven''t seen it since and can't wait to watch it. It stars Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, and my favorite doe-eyed girl Amanda Seyfried.

All remember about this movie is that is was scandalous. Amanda was a high class prostitute and was all kinds of crazy. So I can't wait to watch this movie again.

Then tomorrow I am watching...

An Officer and a Murder on Lifetime Movie Network 7:00PM. This is one of the many Inspired by a true story movies they have been showing lately and I really want to see it.

Then Sunday I am watching...

True Blood on HBO
Leverage on TNT (I <3 Aldris Hodge)

What are you watching this weekend?

Are We Safe Anywhere?

2012-07-20T18:57:00.000-05:00

This morning when I checked Twitter, I discovered that there was a mass shooting in Colorado. So I started reading tweets from everyone. And I found out that a man, James Holmes, who was studying for Ph.D in Neuroscience, opened fire in a Colorado movie theater and killed 12 people and injured 59 others. This really hit me hard and felt too close for comfort. Not that I live in Colorado or even close, but close because of the venue where the shootings took place.

The fact that this all went down in a movie theater, really made me uneasy. I love going to the movies and consider myself a frequent movie-goer. So when I read that someone shot up a place that I go to alot, it freaked me out. Movie theaters are already dark, creepy, and boxed in, now we have to worry about getting shot?

But on a real serious note, I am praying for the victims and their families. Who every expects to be killed or injured in a presumably safe place like a theater? Is anywhere safe these day? We all really need to pray!

Throw Together Recipe: Crab Puffs!

2012-07-14T17:58:00.002-05:00

Here’s a recipe that I threw together Thursday night. I decided to name it Crab Puffs. And it is super easy to make. If you have cream cheese, crescent rolls, and imitation crab, you are in business because those are the main ingredients. Just throw in some lemon juice, garlic, onion, and seasonings to taste and you have crab puffs.

This would go great with a fresh salad. The buttery crescent with the creamy crab really created a delicious combination of flavors. My family loved it and was asking for seconds. You have to try this. Happy Eating!

WTH...SOA Season 5 Teaser!

2012-07-06T22:19:00.001-05:00

Kurt Sutter tweeted a link to a Sons of Anarchy teaser on his blog earlier tonight. It is super short and does exactly what it is supposed to do, tease the audience. Boy did it ever do just that. It left me saying "WTH... did Jax just die"? Oh no, no, no! This has to be symbolic or something because Jax can't get killed off, can he? Not when he finally takes his rightful spot at the head of the table. September can't come soon enough.

Mixing Religion and Marriage

2012-07-02T12:13:00.000-05:00

I was reading a TMZ article on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' divorce today and at the end of the article they polled readers on whether religion was a huge factor in a marriage. And to my surprise most people said yes. I also answered yes. How can you be married to someone who doesn't believe in what you believe in and the other way around? That is a disaster waiting to happen.

When I say I was shocked by this poll, I am telling the truth.. These days people marry for the heck of it and never really consider other factors like number of kids desired, living situations, money, and of course religion. And all these factors are very important and can seriously put a strain on any relationship.

I know that as a devout Christian, I could never marry someone who doesn't share my faith. It will not work and will be just plain awkward. But that is my opinion. Some multi-faith couples go on to lead happy lives together, while others don't. Celeb couples like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Katy Perry and Russell Brand are showing us that religion should be a factor we discuss a little more in relationships.

Do you and your mate share the same religious beliefs? And does religion play a major role in your relationship?

~Pins of the Week!~

2012-07-01T23:18:00.000-05:00

Virgin Mobile Starts Selling iPhone!

2012-07-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I discussed Virgin Mobile's plan to sell the Apple iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. That post was made on June 14th and on June 29th, the iPhone officially went on sale. And if you were one of the people who guessed the phones were going to be crazy high, then you were correct. The phones are priced at $549.99 for the iPhone 4 8GB and $649.99 for iPhone 4S 16GB.

Some customers of Virgin Mobile are upset about the high prices, but I have to ask them "what did you expect"? Did they really think Virgin Mobile was going to sell the phone dirt cheap and then offer dirt cheap plans? If so, then you are dreaming. I can't afford to pay that amount right now but if I could, I would surely buy the phone today. Where else can you pay $35.00 for iPhone service a month? Girl please!!!

What makes more sense to you? Paying more up front for a phone or paying more per month? Let me know below <3

Virgin Mobile Getting Apple iPhone 4S!

2012-06-14T00:03:00.000-05:00

This is why I love Virgin Mobile! I cannot say if I am going to actually purchase the Apple iPhone 4S, but it is nice to know that I can get this phone anytime I want to starting June 29th. It will all really depend on the price of the phone. I am expecting it to be sort of high since the monthly bill with Virgin Mobile at a maximum is about $50. I am hearing that the phone will probably be around $550. But I might be willing to pay that much.

I have always wanted an iPhone, but I don't have good credit and don't want a 2-year contract. Plus the price of the phone and the monthly bill were crazy expensive. And I don't want to be phone poor. You know have a big fancy phone and can't pay my bills.

So I hope Virgin Mobile doesn't stick it to us too bad. I would really love to see what all the hype is about involving the iPhone. I also want to use that cool Siri that I see on the commercials. She seems so helpful.

Is Tara the New Bubba on True Blood?

2012-06-13T23:44:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my True Blood season premiere recap, Tara is dead. Well, not exactly. She was turned by Pam(don't ask why). Well after writing that post I started reading other blogs and articles discussing the episode and there are many questions about this upcoming season. One of the main questions involves Tara and how normal a vampire she will be. Some are saying she won't be "all there" because of the shot to the head and will possibly be the TV version of Bubba from the books.

I always wondered why they left Bubba out. He was a big part of the books and really balanced everything out, so I was upset when he never joined the cast. But if Tara becomes something similar to Bubba, then I guess that might work. Lord knows she really shouldn't even be a big part of the show according to the books, so they obviously have big plans for Tara.

"True Blood" Season 5 Premiere Recap

2012-06-11T20:01:00.000-05:00

I have one question, where the heck was Christopher Meloni in this episode? Every since I heard that he was joining the cast, I have been waiting to see him as a vamp. And I was upset that I have to wait to next week or how ever long, to see him. I can't go that long without my Meloni fix.

Besides that, the episode was eventful. It took me a moment to remember all that happened on last season's finale, but I quickly caught up. I am also amazed at how far from the book they stray. I mean, what are they thinking. In the book a few of the main characters were dead by now and some never existed. But that's neither here nor there.

So here's the rundown: *SPOILER ALERT!!!*

Eric and Bill are on the run from the Authority with Eric's "sister" Nora
Russell is alive
Sam has been kidnapped by Marcus' pack
Sookie clearing here kitchen of blood (again)
Lafayette is dealing with the death of Tara and Jesus
Tara is dead, but is made a vamp by Pam (ikr?)
and other stuff that didn't seem too relevant to me

And that is basically it. All I know is that there better be alot of Eric and Alcide in this season. Bill can go away forever. I am curious to see more of Jessica too. For some reason she is so interesting to me. Maybe it's here beautiful red hair or maybe because she seems so dark but innocent? I dunno.

So after waiting months, was the season premiere what you expected? And who are you looking to see more of?

What I'm Watching

2012-06-10T17:49:00.002-05:00

Up tonight is...

"True Blood" Season 5 Premiere on HBO (it's been forever since last season)

"The Client List" Season Finale on Lifetime (my new favorite show)

"Girls" on HBO (my other new favorite show)

Mini Baker's Father's Day Cupcakes!

2012-06-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

Adorable, right?

The Mini Baker posted some very interesting looking cupcakes on her blog recently and I thought they were just too adorable not to share. They are decorated with little ties and are the perfect dessert for Father's Day. And the recipe is very simple. So you can show your father with these cupcakes and not have to slave over the stove all day. What father wouldn't love that?

For the full recipe, click here to check out Mini Baker's blog.

Eating With Digestive Issues!

2012-06-08T21:36:00.001-05:00

I have had problems with my stomach since I was a kid. I don't know what it is but as of lately, it has become unbearable. Sometimes it gets to a point where I can't digest anything and have severe gas pains. And since I already know I am lactose intolerant and have IBS, I have decided to finally alter my diet. Which I should have years ago but it was just so tough.

So over the past 3 days I have been eating less diary (so hard) and less red meats like pork and beef (even harder). But I know that if I don't want to roll around in the bed crying late at night, I have to do better.

The hardest part about all of this is finding alternatives to everything that is bad for my stomach. Some examples are:

Frozen yogurt instead of ice cream
Chicken and fish instead of redmeats
And soy/almond milk instead of whole milk

As I find out more alternatives and helpful info, I will make sure to post it here to help others with this problem because it is no fun having a bloated and sore stomach. <3

Discipline or Abuse?

2012-06-08T20:40:00.001-05:00

These days it is hard to talk about discipline without people thinking of you as a child abuser. Discipline and abuse are often used as interchangeable words and they couldn’t be anymore different. So what is the difference?

While I am not a parent, I am a daughter and now that without discipline me and my siblings would have been horrible. A little spanking never hurt anyone, right? But it did teach us how to control ourselves and that certain actions begot certain reactions. My mother knew how to discipline each one of us in a way that never came close to abuse. She knew when it was time to get the belt and she knew when we just needed a punishment. And that is the difference between abuse and discipline, showing a child right from wrong with discernment. But now a parent can barely raise their voice to a child without the cops being called. When did this happen?
A better question would be, when does discipline turn into abuse? A story came out today about Pastor Creflo Dollar being charged with abusing his 15 year old daughter. They are reporting that Creflo Dollar threw his daughter, choked, and punched her. Some people believe he was just disciplining a stubborn and ill-tempered daughter that wanted to go to an off-limits party, but some are saying this is flat-out child abuse.
According to the article, I believe that Dollar did go overboard. Choking and hitting repeatedly is never okay. But what about those parents who are just spanking their kids and are being called abusers. I cannot get behind that. Purely disciplining your child is good and needed to train a child, but abuse is NEVER ok.
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