Me

Nicole & Julia Project

Haha… that title doesn’t really have the same meaning as Julie and Julia. Oh well… it sounds good, right? Please tell me it sounds good. Don’t worry though, I’ll never be able to cook my way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Why? Because that book totally intimidates me!

They say that you should do things that scare you every once in a while. Well, I can tell you, this book scares the ever-loving crap out of me. I wish that I was a chef. I want to be one so bad. In fact, I want to write a cookbook. Although recently someone told me that cookbooks are becoming a thing of the past. I guess I would agree with that, but at the same time, look at all the cookbooks on the market. If you walk through a bookstore (which also seem to be becoming extinct) there is usually at least one row if not 2 or 3 filled with cookbooks. Every shape, size, cuisine, and more.

I own more cookbooks than I can recall right now. Some are still packed up from our move over a year ago. That makes me sad. Someday that will change but for now, that move was still a good thing for us…. even though it has been faced with its own challenges. Truthfully I should go through my cookbooks and scale back a little maybe. Maybe not. I haven’t fully decided on that thought either.

But that cookbook.

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Two Truths

As I lay awake last night staring at the ceiling, trying to get past the sound of my husband snoring, I couldn’t help but think about life… again…

There are two truths I can tell you about myself. These two truths I have heard my whole life.

  • Truth 1: You have a beautiful smile.
  • Truth 2: You need to smile more, you look like you’re mad all the time.

I have to say, the latter of those truths I am kind of tired of hearing. Let me explain. There’s a quote that says something to the effect of always smile and make them wonder what you’re up to. You know the one I’m talking about, right?

I have a question to that though… How many people do you actually see walking around all the time smiling? Seriously. If they are, people think they’re weirdos, but in all reality, I hardly see anyone walking around smiling ALL. THE. TIME. Maybe when they’re happy about something that just happened or if they are talking to someone, but otherwise, people don’t generally walk around with a constant smile on their face. (more…)

2018 Will be the Year of Nicole

Dressed for doing chores outside in the cold.

If I claim it will be the year of Nicole, will that make it so?

I like the show The Middle. I feel like I can relate to Sue Sue Heck. If you’ve never watched the show, yes, that is her name, Sue Sue Heck. Sadly, she’s also kind of a nerd/dork. I hate to say that because like I said, I relate to her. But truth be told, I’m probably a nerd/dork too.

Every year, usually school year but still, Sue claims it to be the Year of Sue. Of course, sadly, this is the last season. I’m mad about that. She’s also potentially getting with the guy but they are still keeping him at arm’s length from her so I’m upset about that too. GRRRRRR! (more…)

Sugar Cookie Challenge

I’ve been issued a Sugar Cookie Challenge. Let me explain…

When we were in Cozumel this year, Deb and I were talking to one of the owners of Cozumel Marine World. On his shirt was the logo for Underwater Digital Fiesta Expeditions. I asked Alex and Deb what that was. Turns out it is a yearly get together where you learn to take better underwater photos while learning about and testing out the latest and greatest in digital underwater photography equipment. WHAT!?!?!?

If there’s one thing you should know about me by now, I LOVE photography. My underwater photography skills lack quite a bit, but I’ve only been diving for 4 years. In those 4 years, I was off limits in diving for a year because of my cute little three-year-old. So I’ve been diving 3 years. Yes, I have 100 dives in under my belt… but….. They highly suggest you don’t start carrying a camera underwater with you until you’ve at least dove 50 times. Well, I didn’t totally listen to those words of advice, but I always made sure I was comfortable enough diving before I took a camera with me. It’s an added responsibility.

I immediately started talking about how I wanted to go to this photo fiesta. Hubby laughed and issued me a challenge. If I could sell 300 dozen cookies, I could go. Holy cow! That’s not 300 cookies… that’s 300 dozen cookies. That equals math I can’t easily do in my head. That is 3,600 cookies.

Challenge Accepted….

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Cupcake Diaries

Wow, it seems like here lately I’ve been obsessed with cupcakes. Especially thought with the title of this post. But… I have news for you… I might be. So what’s going on? Well… If I put this out there, 1) I’m afraid I’ll be judged. 2) I might actually have to follow through. 3) I feel like I sound stupid. I keep telling myself I shouldn’t care what other people think. What does it matter anyway. I saw a quote once that said, It’s none of your business what other people think.

Okay, I’m getting a little off track. I think I’m having to give myself a pep talk. Here we go… I’m going to tell you what my plans are. Now help me follow through and please by all means, HELP ME! My plans:

I’m going to write a cookbook.

Over the weekend I focused on a cake recipe. Not just any cake recipe… My cake recipe. We made it from scratch. Totally from scratch. Wow! I researched. And I read. Then I researched. Followed by reading some more.

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My Little Pony Cookies

I mentioned once upon a time that I’ve started decorating sugar cookies. It’s been quite the learning curve, but it’s always good to learn something new. I kept getting asked, what do you charge, what do you charge. Sadly, I live in the midwest where you don’t have this type of cookie done at a bakery so I could even decide if I was in the right ballpark. I’m still not sure I am. I think with experience I can get a little more, I’m not really sure. Someone needs to help me here, please!

Anyway a couple weeks ago I was hit up by a girl I went to high school with on Facebook. She asked if I’d be able to do cookies for her daughter’s birthday. She wanted My Little Pony.

Ooooo… I’ve never done My Little Pony. I didn’t have a cookie cutter in that shape. I wasn’t real sure how to answer. I was worried, really worried! I kept asking questions and kind of putting off an answer for as long as I could, then I really had to give her an answer. My friend YouTube came in to play and I found a video telling me how to do it. Later I found an easier one but I already decided I could do the video I found so I shot her a price and said yes. I did a test run and was okay with it. Now it’s missing a leg, details, and I didn’t wait between different icing applications, but I knew I could do it….

Sunday I began the process. Time to make the sugar cookie dough, let it chill in the fridge, cut it out, and place it in the freezer. That’s just my process.

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currently…

+Wondering how and why // on tv when someone goes to spit something out (ex. Mike on Friends spitting out the rats crackers or Tula on My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 spitting out the peanuts after hearing the old guys suck the chocolate off of them) they stick their tongue out and are overly dramatic about it…. Is that a tv thing or do people do that in real life?

+Recovering from // This weekend. I’d like to say it was a wild and wooly party, but sadly, I just did a lot of packing/moving and found muscles I haven’t seen in a while, Oh hello there strained muscle that is creeping up the back of my leg every time I so much as move.

+Washing // a bagillion loads of laundry. My husband said it would take me a while. How long has he known me? Washing laundry doesn’t get the best of me, it’s the putting it away. Wow, but right now I have access to 2 washers and 2 dryers so it’s going really fast. Now who wants to lend 4 hands to fold it all and put it away? That means those 2 would be putting it away, I might go enjoy a drink, not specifying what kind of drink, leaving my options open!

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Random Friday Thoughts

Hi. Did you miss me? Did you notice I haven’t blogged since Monday? I read more than once that you’re not supposed to draw attention to the fact that you haven’t been blogging. So I just broke one blogging rule, although I’m not sure it’s a set in stone type rule.

Did you know I started another blog? Be sure to follow along if you’d like. It is going in a bit of a different direction than this one. I would love if you’d follow me there too. If not, I won’t judge, I promise. (Paved Dirt Roads)

I graduated in May. This economy has been rough for me to find a job. Maybe it’s because I live in the part of the country I do, I’m not sure but I’ve gotten interviews but no jobs and a lot of thanks but no thanks type letters. Sigh! It’s kind of frustrating and makes me just want to throw up the surrender towel. I won’t, I just keep applying. I do have to giggle though… I’ve signed up through all kinds of job websites stating I have a Master’s Degree in English, a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, and they send me emails telling me to apply for a position that requires a CDL or being a diesel Mechanic.

Um… I don’t have my CDL and I’m not a certified diesel mechanic. I can change the tire on a car or check the oil for you if you’d like… that’s about the experience I have on being a diesel mechanic. I get a good giggle every day when I check my emails and they say, we have the job for your qualifications, apply for this diesel mechanics job.

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Get my Birthday Outfit Look

 Shirt – Sonoma (last summer) // jeans – Cowgirl Tough // boots – Durango (type in FFACHAPTER to get $50 off) // necklace – Duck & Dressing // Belt Buckle – Won showing Cutting Horses! // Sunglasses – Extreme Sports Scuba

No… I’m not a fashion blogger. Far from it. I like to read fashion blogs and see how unfashionable I actually am. But when I woke up yesterday and realized it was my birthday, I decided that I wanted to dress up. Everyone commented on how I was “dressed up” too, so I decided to share my look with you in case you want to be “fashionable” just like me :).

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