Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 7

Hello! Here is a cardinal for you. My grandma loved cardinals (the birds, definitely not the team) and one of my family members got this figurine for her. It’s cute! There’s something you don’t know about it from looking at this photo, though. It has a motion sensor and chirps when you walk by! We all loved it at first, but after a few hours, it definitely needs to be turned off. We haven’t turned it on in a while, but my grandpa turned it on today right after I took this photo. I smiled thinking about my grandma. Every time I see a cardinal, I think of her. They are pretty birds. They are just a bad baseball team.

Wow, I’m full. I just ate a bunch of my grandpa’s amazing peanut butter cookies! I might fast tomorrow because my stomach is so full! I had a great weekend with my mom and grandpa. I don’t know what I would ever do without them; they are such amazing people and they brighten my life so much. This weekend went by too fast!

Well, red week is over! I will start taking photos of orange things tomorrow and through the rest of the week. Stay tuned!

Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 6

I really wish I could wear shoes like these. Aren’t they awesome?? I don’t own any red shoes, either. I don’t own many pairs of shoes with high heels because I’m afraid to walk in them. At least these are wedges; I can’t walk in shoes with very skinny heels. I’ve tried on shoes with high arches, too, and it’s hard to take a few steps. Can someone teach me how to walk in these kind of shoes?? These are cute, though! I like the bow on the other side and the thick straps. I need to be more daring with my shoes. I think I need to go on a shoe shopping trip soon and buy some higher heels. Who’s with me??

I had a very fun day with my mom! Well, we started by getting my car checked out; I’ve heard a loud screeching noise a few times right after starting it up. They couldn’t find anything wrong with it, so I guess that’s good! We then went shopping during most of the day, which I haven’t done in a while! It was a lot of fun, especially being with my mom. We then made some pulled pork and asparagus for dinner and brought it over to my grandpa’s house. He really liked it, which made me happy! It was fun hanging out with them. I miss them a lot!!

Have you ever had a strange or embarrassing celebrity crush? I’m sure we all did in elementary or middle school. Or even high school. For some reason, the first name that popped up in my head was Devon Sawa. I think I liked him after seeing the movie Casper and maybe Now and Then. I guess he was pretty cute back then, but we all haven’t seen him in a while! I’m a bit embarrassed. I can tell you that my girl crush is Kate Winslet, but I’m not embarrassed about that at all.

I’m watching Gilmore Girls with my mom. It’s a good night.

Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 5

Hello! Here is my wonderful mom drinking some wine. I wrote reddish wine because it’s more of a rose wine… but the color is still red, so it counts!! We had a really fun night tonight. It started out at Francesca’s Amici restaurant, and it was really good. I ate some salmon and my mom had really good chicken and potatoes. Then, we went to Flight 112, which is a wine house in town. I’ve never been there, but it was a cool place! I liked the atmosphere a lot. There were couches, a nice bar, and a live band. We tried a wine called Murphy’s Law rose, and I really liked it. I’ll have to find it somewhere and buy it! We had a great time. Yay for mother-daughter weekends!

I think lately I need to be better about trying new restaurants and bars. I’m glad I went to these two places with my mom tonight since I’ve never been to either of them before. I loved both places! It’s always fun trying new things. It would actually be fun spending a whole weekend in Chicago and going to new restaurant and bars there. I’ve been to Chicago so many times and I love this city, but there are so many places I haven’t been yet. Let’s go!

Yay for weekends. And it’s already been great.

Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 4

So, I thought it would be a cool idea to take a photo of lips with red lipstick on, but I don’t know how I feel about it anymore. This photo looks a bit creepy. The color looks more pink than red, but trust me, it’s red. I’m not cheating at all. The lipstick color is actually retro red, and the lighting was a bit weird. I did take a few photos where the color was more red, but they were pretty blurry. Anyway, these are my lips in case you were wondering. I put lipstick on, took some pictures, and quickly took it off. I think red lipstick is awesome occasionally, but I really can’t pull it off on an ordinary day. I wore it the past two years with my Halloween costumes and felt okay doing that, but I can’t imagine wearing red lipstick to work or out one night. I think I look odd. If I wear any color on my lips, I stick with a shade of pink. If you can pull off red lipstick most days, I’m very jealous of you.

So, Scott’s agent for his car insurance is named Michael. I actually met him before at a wedding this past summer since Scott and him both knew the bride. Michael is a very nice guy and I’m glad we met! Anyway, last week, Scott and I were driving back to his house and he pointed out a billboard in town promoting the insurance company; Michael’s face was on the billboard!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone I know on a billboard, until that moment. I think I shouted, “Awesome!” But then I started laughing hysterically. I still don’t know why I laughed so hard. Maybe because you never expect to know someone on a billboard! That is my story. Maybe you had to be there.

I think I’m going to relax now. You should, too!

 

Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 3

Well, it looks like Valentine’s Day is approaching. Here’s a very red aisle at Walgreens. I guess you could say it’s an aisle full of love… or cheesy boxes of chocolates shaped like hearts. Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate. But, that’s a lot of hearts boxes!! And there are so many different kinds. Which one are you supposed to get?? And they even have ones with Reeses in them, now. I don’t remember those at all. I should have taken a photo of the boxers (I mean the guy’s underwear) on the other side of the aisle; they were red with many hearts on them. Here’s a question… would a guy really want those for Valentine’s Day? I can imagine any guy saying, “Thank you” in a very slow and sarcastic tone. Anyway, if you want chocolates in a heart-shaped box, go to Walgreens! Or any other store right now, actually.

So, what are your thoughts on Valentine’s Day? I really liked getting and giving valentines as a kid, and the candy was awesome. As I got older, I didn’t like it as much when I didn’t have a significant other. I like it now since I can hang out with Scott. I think it’s a fun excuse to dress up and go out, which I do plan on doing this year. But, we could do that any other day we want; it really doesn’t have to be on Valentine’s Day. I guess it bothers me that it seems more like a Hallmark holiday than an actual one. Thanks a lot, Hallmark (that was sarcastic). We should start  calling it “Excuse to Dress Fancy and Go Out Day.” Then you can go in groups. Who’s with me??

Here’s one Valentine’s Day story for you. In middle school, we could send candygrams to friends or people we like. You’d get candy and could write a note to someone. I had a huge crush on a guy named Josh, so I decided to send him one. He never really talked to me, except when we sat next to each other in social studies class. Well, I sent him one, and I wrote something general in the note like, “Happy Valentine’s Day! I think you are cool!” I think he saw it while in another class with one of my friends. She told me saw it and said, “Oh my god.” She didn’t know if that meant a good or a bad thing. So, I saw him in class later and he thanked me for the candygram. That’s the whole story. We didn’t talk much after that again, either. Yay middle school. I don’t miss that time. Well… there’s one more part to my story with Josh. I asked him to dance at a school dance later that year. We danced and I fell even more in love with him. But, he still didn’t talk to me much. The end. Yay.

Have a good night and stay warm!

Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 2

Here’s is Red Day 2 for you… a red traffic light. Not sure what else to say about this photo, except that I’m surprised I caught so many different traffic light posts in one photo. I took this photo while stopped at the red light, of course. I guess it was a bit dangerous, but I wasn’t moving, so it wasn’t that bad! I was hoping to catch it before the green light popped up. I could try a green light when it’s green week, but that would be even more dangerous… I probably won’t do that. Unless I’m walking outside near a traffic light. Sorry I’m rambling.

So, how do people feel about the facebook timeline? I haven’t switched over yet, but I heard we all will on January 31. I don’t like how everything will show up from when we first signed on to facebook; I can’t remember what I put on the website in 2004 or 2005! I might have to go through and delete a lot of stupid things. We’ll see in a week I guess.

For some reason, the other day, I was thinking about all of the roommates I’ve had in my lifetime. I’ve had a lot of great ones. Then, I thought about the worst… what’s your horrible roommate story (or more than one story)? I didn’t really get along with my first roommate during college. She would wake up at 3 a.m., turn on lights, turn on music, and do homework. I would moan in bed, but she didn’t care. She would also hit the snooze button in the morning and then go take a shower. I slept in the top bunk and had to climb down occasionally to shut off her alarm. She also used to argue with me when I’d watch the Cubs since she didn’t like sports. She even changed the locks to our room and never told me why. It was a weird time. Those are just a few stories for you!

Happy Tuesday!

Rachel, Day by Day

Color Challenge: Red Day 1

Today is the first day of my color challenge! Every day, all week, I’ll be posting a photo of something red. Then next week will be orange. Then yellow. I’m going through the rainbow, so this should take 7 weeks (thank you, Roy G. Biv). I’m hoping I can actually do this every day; we’ll see I guess!

Here’s your first red photo… my Blackhawks Convention tote bag. I’ve gone to three of their conventions and they are a lot of fun! This tote bag was a gift to all who attended one year, and I absolutely love it. It’s a really nice quality gift, too. I use this bag at least twice a week when I bring workout clothes to work for my cardio class. Maybe I’ll bring it to the beach this summer, or when I go back to the convention this year! I’ve noticed more Blackhawks gear and decor around my apartment lately; I’ll be honest… I’m a bandwagon fan. I always thought it was exciting when going to the games, and definitely still do, but I’m learning that hockey is still very exciting while watching on TV. Plus, how can you not watch in hopes of seeing Toews’ beautiful face? I really like the Blackhawks. They are a fun team.

I watched that Drew Peterson Lifetime movie this weekend. Wow, he’s a creepy man. Or maybe Rob Lowe is just really good at being creepy. I mean, maybe Drew really isn’t like that since Lifetime movies tend to be way over dramatic, but if everything he did is completely true, then he deserves to be in jail forever. He seems like a very abusive, manipulative man. And he treated all of his wives horribly, and possibly killed two of them. I’ll never understand men (or women) who could be that way and take advantage of insecure people. It’s not right at all. Ok, I’m done venting on that subject.

In books and movies, do you like happy endings or cliff hangers? I think I’m hoping for happy endings in every story I read or movie I see, but of course, there are some stories that are better because of their cliff hanger endings. Inception is definitely one example. Gone With the Wind kind of ended on a cliff hanger since you don’t know what will happen to Scarlett, and that’s a great movie. But, I secretly hoped for happy endings for both of these. I’m betting people wouldn’t like them as much, though. Maybe I’m a hypocrite, because I’ve written some stories that end in cliff hangers. In my opinion, they are more fun to write, but not as fun to watch or read. Oh well!

Happy Monday!

Rachel, Day by Day

Hello! I’m not exactly sure what you call these things, but I’ll say it’s a big heat lantern. It definitely keeps you warm! I thought it looked pretty awesome, so I took a picture of it. This photo was taken at the Burger Barge, a fun restaurant in Peoria. I ate a chicken barge and it was really good! I went to Peoria on Friday with Scott and his parents; it was his mom’s birthday! This restaurant was pretty neat; it definitely had a lot of character and I liked the lights on the ceiling. We sat in an area that turns into an outdoor area in the summer. It was still a bit chilly, which is why they had this big heat lantern! I like how the fire turned out in this photo.

After dinner, we went to Par-A-Dice casino in Peoria! I’ve never been there before; it was cool! We all tried some slot machines; Scott’s mom played a cool Wizard of Oz one. They had ones for The Hangover and Sex and the City, too. I tried a Wheel of Fortune one, which was fun. I ended up getting a spin and walked away with $17.25! The casino is right next to the Illinois River and I took a cool photo if it. Here it is!

It was cool seeing all of the ice on the river; I like how this photo turned out. I would go back to Peoria again; it was a fun time.  It’s always a bit more fun when you win some money, too!

Scott and I watched Casino Royale on Saturday night. There’s a lot I forgot about that movie! I did not remember the first 10 minutes at all; I’m thinking a lot of scenes are skipped when this movie is on TV. It was good to watch again. I tried Dark Horse raspberry ale while watching the movie; I liked it! You should try it sometime if you like raspberry.

I would write more, but I keep sneezing and I’m annoyed…. stupid allergies! Have a good night!

Rachel, Day by Day

I really don’t get this car. As you can see, there are purple and pink lights underneath the car, and the handles to the door are blue. This car was just parked in the parking lot at the mall; it wasn’t running and no one was in it. The colors kept changing, too. At first I thought, “Woah, cool! Colors!” But then, I thought about how strange it really is. Would it use up a lot of power or batteries on the lights? Also, who would pay to get this done to their car?? I can see this being very expensive and a waste of time. I just don’t get it. Maybe this person really wants some attention? Oh, well. I guess they got my attention! I wonder if there are lights in the car… probably not. That would be distracting for the driver.

It’s the weekend! Woo hoo! It’s been a pretty good week. Hung out with some friends, which always makes the week better. Today I went to the doctor and was tested for asthma. I don’t really think I have it, but I guess I’ll find out next week. I’ve been having trouble breathing when around cats, dogs, and other things I’m allergic to, but other than that I feel fine. I have an inhaler now, which will help. The test was weird; I had to take 4 or 5 breathing tests into this tube. I was also sitting in a glass box that reminded me of a phone booth. I had to take a lot of heavy breaths, fast breaths, and slow breaths for an hour. It was tiring! And for one of the tests, she shut the door of the glass box and brought the air pressure down to see how I’d handle it. As Ron Burgundy said in Anchorman, “I was in a glass case of emotion.”

What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken? For me, in an adventurous way, I’d say parasailing and going on the ride at the top of the Stratosphere. Both were amazing experiences, but frightening. Parasailing was a bit more scary since I was all alone in the sky by myself. But, the view was breathtaking. I never felt so free in my life, too!

As for risks related to life decisions, I’m not so sure. I could say general ones like accepting my current job, but that’s a bit boring. Anyone have better ones?

Have a good weekend!

Rachel, Day by Day

Hello! My weekend was good. I spent some time with good friends, good food, good drinks, and good games. We played Scattergories, which I haven’t played in a really long time. I love it! The silly answers are the best, of course. It was a great time! As for the photo, I went to Nicole and Tommy’s baby shower on Sunday! Here’s a photo of them with all of their presents. Nicole is such a cute, pregnant girl! I can’t believe she is having a baby and I am so happy and excited for her! She is having a girl and they are naming her Eleanor. That’s a very cute name. I’m so excited to meet her; Nicole is due in February. The shower was at a really good Mexican restaurant; I definitely ate too many tacos and enchiladas. But it was worth it.

I didn’t do too much on Saturday. I spent most of my time at my apartment because I wasn’t feeling too well. I’m not sure if I had the flu or something, but I had the chills, a headache, and a stomach ache. I did leave the apartment for a bit because I REALLY wanted to see Beauty and the Beast in theaters. So, Scott and I went! I didn’t feel so great while walking, but felt fine once I sat down in the theater. I’m really glad I went; I love that movie! So, we went home and I was lazy again for the rest of the night. Although I wasn’t feeling well, it was nice to have a lazy day.

Scott and I did try making one fun thing on Saturday, though! Yogurt covered strawberries. Mmmmm. I don’t know if we did it right, but here’s a photo for you!

You basically dip strawberries in yogurt (I used Greek vanilla yogurt) and you let them sit in the freezer for a while. When you take them out, the yogurt should be hard, and you have a delicious snack! We tried them and at first, they were way too cold to enjoy. Then, I think we let them sit in room temperature too long because the yogurt wasn’t as hard anymore. They were still very good, though! I’m sure we’ll get it right next time. It’s a yummy and healthy snack!

Have a good night!