Bow Tie Pasta Salad

OK , my current fave pasta salad...

1 (12 oz) package of bow tie pasta
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
i medium green bell pepper, chopped
i medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
1 cup Italian salad dressing

Cook pasta, toss it all together.

*I use a basalmic vinagarette, I sometimes leave out the artichoke hearts because my roommate doesn't like them.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

This stuff is GOOD people.

2 cans crescent rolls
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Press one can of rolls into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Beat together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread on top of the rolls in the pan. Top with the other can of rolls (don't worry if they don't cover the filling completely--they will spread while baking). Mix the butter, the 1/2 cup of sugar, and cinnamon and pour over top of rolls.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

*I add semisweet chips to the cream cheese. I think it makes it BETTER!!*

Memorial Day Bust?

So our party was not all that great. It turns out den Daas and I do not have friends here, except each other. They are all a) not living in Norman, b) in Europe for 6 weeks, or c) MIA. That's right, no people excpet Sheappard, his friend Travis, Hilary, a nice surprise!

BUT, we sent Shep and Trav out for...uhhh...coke, and they came back with Trivial Pursuit! So we played Trivial Prusuit Battle of the Sexes. den Daas and I creamed them 2 games to 1. They were shocked, mad, and a little bit cranky. It took us forever to get the Sports and Games piece, but once we did we were unstoppable.

Turns out I LOVE Trivial Pursuit! And I know a lot of useless stuff!

Abby has used her blog for a shoe forum, and I could not help but think this was a wonderful idea. Here are the ones I am dying for right now...

I think these are my favorites, 10W They're way sassy.

Abby got a blog! And, for all of you who have asked for it, the Butter Cookie recipe was the first post! Yay!

Don't panic at the pound of butter. Remember it makes a kazillion cookies.

Abby's Blog!

Summer Update

So for everyone who wants to know my summer plans...I finally have some!

I am teaching Spanish to pre-schoolers on Wednesdays!
I am a nanny for a 5, 4, and 2 year old!
I will hopefully help my sister so she can volunteer at the zoo!
I am going to the lake, hopefully with Abby over 4th of July!

There they are. Summer plans.

No one ask me about the fall. I just don't know.

*Edit*

Abby is not INSANELY high maintenance. She is, however, high maintenance. The "insanely" was an exaggeration on my part, written purely for effect and drama.

I would like to apologize for any pain or mental anguish my careless language might have caused my best friend.

:)

So, I graduated. It was a wild weekend, but it was GREAT! If you don't follow along, ALL the players were involved and I got Abby and my mom here in the same weekend. Some random stuff that I never really thought would happen, well, happened...

1. My mother, my insanely girly high maintenance best friend, and I built a grill. From scratch. I mean, not the welding or anything, but thats a lot to ask of anyone. And we did it without beer or manly grunts. Although I did guffaw a few times.

2. I actually asked my mother to stop spending money. It was crazy. I think the notion has since passed Mom, so you can resume at will.

3. My Dad had the punch line and I cried. ( the crying wasn't a surprise. It was Daddy's timing)

4. I got ridiculously excited about kitchen gadgets. I didn't open the rest of my presents so I could put olive oil in a bottle right then. It was weird.

5. Abby said I could tell her what to do. That has NEVER really happened before (don't get me wrong, I have still tried). I decided not to test my limits. My mom said "Abby" and "minion" are mutually exclusive. It's a gift.


So folks, thanks for coming to Norman this weekend, thanks for the gifts, it was a blast. PLEASE send me whatever pictures you have of the weekend!

People, I did not BUY all of the t-shirts. at least 75 were free from the University. Yay for tuition increase so people can hand out free t-shirts...

And my eyebrow is grown / growing back. Yeahhhhh.

5 Years.

So this week I will be graduating after FIVE years in Norman America. Looking back over 5 years I have realized some things...

:: I am no more sure of next year than I was in 2001.

:: I still have to read before going to sleep.

:: In five years, I have managed to attend 49 Oklahoma football games (if you include Big 12 and Bowls)

::I have only attended 7 basketball games. Men AND women.

::I have collected around 120 t-shirts from various events, parties, or University happenings.

:: I have made my eyebrow completely disappear at least three times. It has taken the majority of the five years to grow back.

::I have discovered the crack-like properties of Diet Coke and have quite possibly ruined my kidneys because of it.

::I have probably spent 3 million dollars on coffee. Seriously people.

::I have spent 320 hours of indentured servitude--unpaid teaching--for the public school system in Oklahoma. Jerks.

::I have attended 156 hours of class. Whoa. 2 of the hours don't count because I didn't pass Ballroom Dancing.

::I have five friends that will last forever. That is a LOT.

::I have received 3 tickets in Norman. I feel like in 5 years that is excellent. Especially since one was for my tag. We won't discuss the ones I got out of.

::I have moved 9 times. Sick.

:: I can't even fathom the cell phone minutes I have used. It is definitely in the trillions. Ok, maybe thats an exaggeration.

Its been a wild ride...can't wait until Saturday!