364/365

364/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

I kept hearing about The Hunger Games trilogy while I was in Africa. My old roommate, Kate, called it an addiction and I knew I could trust her book advice. I wanted to buy it, but they didn't have it over there. I wanted to buy the e-book, but it wasn't available on my ipod.

I finally bought the first book to read on the plane to New York last month. And despite being pretty busy most of the time I was there, I managed to finish it a few days before I came home. I left it for Ryan, figuring he'd like it and I needed to pass on my addiction.

Once I got back home, more broke than ever, I couldn't justify buying book two. It was hard at first, but I got over it. The libraries all had it out or on hold. Sometimes I picked it up at Target, but I always put it back down.

Meanwhile, Ryan read The Hunger Games and once he finished it, he must have understood my need because he sent me the second book for my birthday. I'm suspicious and think he might have read it first, but that's okay. I don't blame him. Addiction, remember?

The problem with these books is that there is no stopping point. And that's why I took the longest bath in my history today. I didn't even want to be in the bath anymore but I couldn't put the thing down.

Now I feel like I need to read the third one before I life can go on! Time must stop!

Not gonna happen, though. I have to turn 26 tomorrow.

363/365

363/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Yesterday afternoon I had unlimited coffee at Panera Bread. Last night I had chicken noodle soup from Panera Bread. This morning I had half a chocolate chip bagel from Panera Bread. For lunch today I had black bean soup and a tuna sandwich from Panera Bread.

...and somehow, I am still craving Panera Bread.

362/365

362/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

It's been a rather grey winter. Lots of fog. Lots of clouds.

It isn't the sort of winter I'm used to seeing in Texas. We've had record lows but no snow or rain, hardly. It's just dreary. As if a dementor were waiting around the corner to suck out my soul until Harry Potter's stag comes to save me. And to bring the sunshine! And maybe some moisture. I could take a bath in lotion and need another one an hour later.

I spent most of the day on my computer. Mom and I went to Panera Bread to get some work done, then I went to babysit for the evening. Actually, a pretty productive day.

It's 1:30 AM right now. I've stayed up late enough for my body to think that it needs another meal. I'm getting a food headache and my stomach is growling so I should just go to sleep, but all I want to do is read. I've been looking forward to reading all day and it's what I want to do. But I'm afraid if I do I'll read right on until breakfast time because I don't have self-control over that sort of thing.

I know this is the sort of dilema that keeps you all on the edge of my seat, so I'll try to resolve it for you tomorrow.

361/365

361/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Oh me? Just sipping air out of this tea cup that's sitting on top of my old fairy tale anthology book in this dead field that I love to play in.

What did you do today?

That's annoying. I'm sorry.

Rachel and I decided to go take some pictures this afternoon right before sunset. I was wanting something to use for my next project. That's right! I have an idea! Year twenty five is not the last you'll hear from me!

I'm sorry again.

So I may use some of these pictures, I may not. But either way, it was really fun. Rachel's directions were really awesome, too.

Okay...run in circles!
Now...act like this is your FAVORITE place ever. Like you own it.
Umm...stand like that.
Turn around?
Hahahahahah WHOA...terrible.

Pure genius.

Here's one more:


MOM! I'm sorry! Please don't get mad that I wore the skirt from my $300 prom dress to frolic around in the dirt and didn't tell you!



So...after all that, Rachel and I went to visit her BF at Starbucks and started playing with this camera app on my phone. The app is in Korean so we really didn't know what was going to happen.


Rachel and her soy carmel macchiato.


Mom said, "Aww you look 5!"


I was licking the foam off my finger. That very important part of the picture seemed to escape the frame.


She took a picture of me and I took a picture of her. Isn't that neat?!


Me and my soy caramel latte with chocolate syrup or something like that. All I know is, it was created for me.










Nose rings are so hot right now!




In my belly. And half in the fridge for tomorrow morning because I can re-heat coffee like a motha!!!

360/365

360/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

I sent this picture to a friend just so it would encourage me NOT to blog about it. Maybe if I show it to someone, I won't feel the need to use it late tonight when I have absolutely nothing else to show for today? That's what I thought.

Today I was babysitting the most fun kids ever, and I made this contraption. That's what I called it. Really, I just put the ball of yarn in my pocket, threw the scarf around my neck, and ta-da! I was able to easily watch/follow the kids. Also, have free hands at any given point. I work on it every once in awhile because I think it's funny that one of the kids always asks about my "ball of scarf," not my ball of yarn.

If I'd have planned on posting this picture today I probably would have at least showed my face and smiled. But at least you can tell that I was having a pretty great hair day. It'd be a shame to let that go to waste, I guess.

Totally living it up 'til I'm 26!!

359/365

359/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Hi!

I'm sorry. I'm posting about food again. But I woke up this morning and, fueled by yesterday's crisis, I knew that I needed to have an amazing breakfast.

So I decided to combine all of my favorite things and put them into one recipe, onto one plate. Guys, I rocked this. And I mean it this time!

I give you...


Health Freak Pumpkin Pancakes with Homemade Hot Blackberry Thick Syrup/Thin Jam (what would you call that?) and Non-Fat Cool Whip from the Grocery Store.

Catchy, I think.

I combined some of my favorite recipes - one for whole wheat pancakes and one for pumpkin - changed a few things, added a few things, and came up with a masterpiece.

The blackberries are easy. You can make this with any kind of berry, and I do. Just boil 1/3 of the amount of berries you want to use with a little bit of water, cornstarch to desired thickness, and sugar to desired sweetness. Take it off the heat and add the rest of the berries. I use this as an alternative for syrup, to put in oatmeal, so spread on toast, as a pie filling...anything and everything.

I topped it with cream because if Alice's Tea Cup in NYC taught me anything it's that berries and cream NEED to be served with tea and scones. Or pancakes and coffee.

Guess what else I made today?


Those are homemade graham crackers, recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Add this:


And this:


And this:
(Marshmallows not pictured)

And you have a gourmet s'more:

If a gourmet s'more is possible.

S'mores always make me think of The Sandlot.

FOR-EV-ER.

Here's my made-up-but-perfect recipe for those pancakes:

HEALTH FREAK PUMPKIN PANCAKES

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 TB ground flax seed
3 TB brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 TB cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp all spice

2 eggs
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 cup pumpkin

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet. Mix that all up and say BAM! Or something.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. I used cooking spray. You could use oil or butter but that then these won't be that HEALTH FREAK-y.

Measure out pancakes by 1/4 cup sizes. Let them cook until they bubble, then flip once.

You can add a few chocolate chips (I did that) or nuts if you're into that kind of stuff.

For me, this made 16 pancakes. That's 90 calories each, if you're interested. I froze them for future best-ever-breakfasts.

Mmmk...will try not to post about food tomorrow. Six. more. days. Please don't give up on me now.

358/365

358/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

This was so good! Wow! I am the best cook! I loved it! Nothing tastes this good!

Are all things I wish I could say. Instead...

The chicken was tough.
I burned the onions and celery.
I used canned soup.
I used wheat flour.


And I used a cup of pepper.

Tomorrow...or some other day in the near, near future, since I cannot let chicken and dumplings defeat me...


It's back to the drawing board.