Fall Drinks

I was just sitting with my Mom yesterday, and we were trying to figure out what to have with our pumpkin roll I pain stakingly made from scratch yesterday with cream cheese frosting, it was heavenly, but all we had was cherry chocolate hot cocoa mix. Now I'm not the most sophisticated person, so I could be wrong, but cherry chocolate and pumpkin didn't sound the best to me...

Also being part of a german family, they would have made gluvine, which is a spiced win drink where you cook the wine, lumbrusqo, with cinnamon sticks, cloves, maybe some sugar, zest lemon rind, and simmer it for a minute. but seeing as there is wine in it, its not really family appropriate.

So here are some good fall drink ideas, including my signature recipe.

Parker's Hot Cocoa
serves 1, but you may double or quadruple this recipe to your hearts content.

• 1 tsp. cocoa powder (I prefer dark, or organic dutch.)
• 2 tsp. sugar, (again I prefer xylitol or evaporated cain juice, only use one tsp for they xylitol.)
• 1 mug of milk, or milk substitute 
• 1/4 tsp vanilla, (any extract you think would be good with chocolate)

Pour your dry ingredients in a small sauce pan, then add your vanilla and a little of the milk, make a sauce, (kind of like when you make a rue), cook until sugar is dissolved, but do not let boil, or you will have crusty hot cocoa. Add the rest of your milk, and whisk that together then allow to cook for 3-5 minutes, mainly just until hot. Add marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, what ever you want.

Spiced Cider
serves 1

• 1 mug cider
• a dash cinnamon
• a bit of nutmeg
• a small pinch of cloves

Heat in a sauce pan for the spices permeate the cider, low to cook for several minutes, then remove from flame, to allow to cool, or leave it on stove to have hot apple cider. 

Spiced Tea

serves 1

• Plain black tea, or Bangle spice tea from Celestial Seasonings.
• 1 cinnamon stick,
• a hint of ginger
• a peck of cloves
• 1/8 Cup. of milk, or cream.
• 1/4 tsp vanilla, or desired flavoring

Steep tea as usual in your desired mug with room for cream or milk, then add spices, flavoring and let steep longer without tea in it, then add you cream.

if you want to change things up, get a frying pan with

• 2 tsp tapioca pearls
• 1 cup water

allow to cook until the pearls are soft and squishy, and your spiced tea has become bubble tea. 

Enjoy! Happy Autumn!

-L.R.Parker

Narrating my life 1

So, I just realized that the last post I did was a semi political on, and I feel kind of bad about it, but I do support it, because it gives you something to think about.

Now I'm in school, College to be exact, I can't believe this is my sophomore year, its so weird, I feel like Ive been here forever, but I only have a year left here then I transfer to a technical University.

Unhappily unemployed, I just can't find anyone to hire me, and thats annoying, I am also being burnt out by kids, which is horrible, because I love kids. But I feel sad, because I shouldn't be burnt out yet. I don't even have my own kids yet.

I am also ruining the movie, The Fault in Our Stars, by reading the book, because I am a boo person, and then I am to read the book Jude by Kate Morgenroth, and I can't wait, I've also been into the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson.

That's my life right now, I might vlog this, but I'm not sure, I'm falling out of love with youtube, I'm unsure.

-L.R.Parker

In the end.

2013 Black Vail Brides wrote a song, In the End. Although I don't find it prophetic, I have noticed that I just step back from everyday life, and wonder how did we get here. Not we as me and my loved ones, but the world. "when did anyone ever think that was a good idea?" "How the hell did they come to that conclusion?" and the classic "why?"

I just got done with learning about Isis, and so on, and then I learned about the present day Isis ordeal, because they are two different things. Isis was the original mother earth goddess, but now that I hear about the current events and have done homework a bit on it, the feelings are not anger, fear, or even me being disgusted. All that comes is a sadness that this is where the human race has gone.

I just got of off my semi weekly Facebook trolling and came across a post title that is stating a separation of the original country of Israel from the UN, true or not, it is a fact that the Jewish people have been on many hit lists in the past. Can we not catch it before it happens again as well as protect our Nations, as well as others, and question what we are leaving for the future generations to come.

Because In the end, what is our legacy? and what are we leaving behind. In the words of Emily from The Ultimate Gift paraphrased "I'm not scared of dying, I'm scared of who I leave behind." this sentence has haunted me for years, and is piercing my heart even now.

Summer, for me, a vampire...

Okay, to be honest, I'm not a vampire, but I joke about it all the time.

The old folk tales about vampires bursting into flames when presented with the sun yet again plagues me, truly it does, because that is what my skin does, burns even under the shortest term of sun exposure.

I have learned to combat this with sunscreen and my shorts and tights look. Well... according to my Mother as well as other friends on Facebook, that is a style tragedy... You can see my problem, I don't  like to conform to anything, but in actuality, I'm trying to decide if its considered appropriate.

I enjoy spending the hottest of days wearing my vertically stripped tight with a pair of cropped jeans to a reasonable length of shorts(about mid thigh). but still, although I love it, I can't help but feel like the modest Avril Lavigne look is not suitable for my life.

Like I said, I do this to protect my sun sensitive skin from the elements.

Something in my head tells me "Don't give an ounce of care for what people think about you!" but I care about people too. (MIXED EMOTIONS!!!!!) I mean, I'm an edgy chick, and love the look, not to mention it helps me in my vampire issues, (seriously, I should be Mavis from Hotel Transylvania in real life, I carry a parasol like Wednesday from Oddities: San Fran, except I'm not goth).

What do y'all think is Shorts and Patterned tights acceptable in 21 century America, 2014??? or should I try to muster up some courage to wear skirts more often? 

Day 4

In the words of my Father, yeasted day 3 of my birthday, if this puzzles you, allow me to explain,
my family is all over, with different schedules and different things on their mind, like most people.
and due to that and having friends with different schedules, My family and I find ourselves celebrating nearly all month long.

I don't mean having a party every day, but for instance, one day you get a card in the mail, and the next, nearly a full week after your birthday you go out with your best friend to dinner and a movie. not to mentions sending out thank you cards to everyone. The day of my birthday, I got up, got coffee, and was sung to with a birthday candle in my smoothie, I was sung to about 10 times that day, because my parents and I go to church, and they decided to sing happy birthday to me in the lobby, in front of everyone.

I got to go out to eat, then went home did laundry, clean my living space, and then went to see Moms' night out with my mom, I finished off the evening with hanging out with my brother and his best friend.

• the saturday before my birthday I got a T-shirt from my aunt, one I picked out myself
• the Friday before my birthday, I received a card from my Grand parents, and went out with a friend and my Mom.
• Day 2, I cleaned a festive area, then was taken out to eat, to shop in junk shops, and to get ice cream.
• Day 3, I went to the secretary of states office, and got a card from my other Grand parents.
• Today, I have no idea what I'll be doing, tomorrow I'm going to be going out with my best friend, dinner and a movie, I have no idea if there are gifts involved, or if the time is the gift.

All I know, is I enjoy birthdays so much more then I did when I was 10.
Share your birthday fun or catastrophes below!!!

Becoming a Girl... part 2

I started my last B.A.G. (So ironic lol) post with Growing up...
I almost did that this post, but here we go again.
When I got into the early stages of young womanhood, there were things I didn't know, things I wasn't taught... don't worry this has nothing to do with the lovely lady problems that men don't want to hear about.

My Grandma grew up in a time where there were only 2-3 beauty creams, women wore dresses all the time. Women curled their hair in hot curlers nearly every day, red lipstick was definitly making its mark.
What she didn't know, and didn't teach my Mom was the things I had to figure out by myself. Like how to do eyeliner without looking like you have black eyes, and that applying deodorant more then once a day is a good thing... Facial moisturizer was a mystery to my house, as well as exfoliating your face.

With extended research and youtube videos aiding me, I got better, learned what facial primer was for, and learned the "Proper" way to do makeup. I still don't do my hair if I can get away with it, love the days I go makeup less, and wear sneakers as much as possible. (I stubbed my toe before prom then wore my really high heels, that was three weeks ago and I'm still feeling it.)

I might do more of these blogs, I quite enjoy them.

-Parker

New morning routine!

So, due to coming back from Spring Break I have reevaluated my morning routine, or lack there of
but here we are and this has worked  for me for the past week. so here you go!

• Wake up, and pull out of your bed
• Exercise 30-45 minutes
• Drink water, hydrate, then get morning coffee
• Shower, get ready for the day
• Eat, if feel up to breakfast
• Disperse!

This may seem excessive, but I've already lost weight, and I feel a lot better the I used to. I recommend it to you, whether it's a morning walk, or doing a work out video. I feel better in the morning, and definitely feel better about myself. Let me know what your favorite workout/routine is in the comments below!