OT: Being prepared

This is a completely off topic post but thought I'd share anyway.  Seeing the pictures of Hurricane Sandy on the news has been heart wrenching and has reminded me to make sure my emergency kit is ready and prepared.

I live in Southern California.  Home to many an earthquake.  In my 13 years out here I've been in a few but nothing too major, thankfully!  But I'm terrified of them.  TERRIFIED!  One would ask why I live in an earthquake zone if I'm so scared of them.  I had originally planned on moving out here for a few years to "live it up in the big city" after college but then I met my husband and his work keeps us out here so I guess I'm staying put for a while.  I've made it very clear that we are moving the day he retires but since we have a few years for that I might as well get comfortable.

I never had an earthquake kit until last year when the big earthquake/tsunami hit Japan.  Seeing all that devastation hit me like a ton of bricks.  At the time I was pregnant and I guess I realized it could have been us.  That week I ran out and stocked up on water and essentials, or so I thought. 

I was reading this blog post this morning and it got me thinking. Would I be prepared for an emergency given what I have in my home at this moment?  The answer is no. I have water, I have a flashlight, food, first aid kit, baby food, but somehow I forgot diapers and a change of cloths and shoes. And I'm sure there are a few other things I've forgotten. Which is why I'm signing up for this 8 week course. I think it will be very beneficial. If you want to sign up as well please do so.

Topics included will be:

Emergency Preparedness – “Emergency Survival Station”

• Week #1 – STORAGE (Shelving, Backpacks, and Bins)
• Week #2 – BASIC NEEDS (Food & Water)
• Week #3 – MEDICAL (First Aid Kit & Medicine)
• Week #4 – EMERGENCY BINDER & CASH (Important documents & a cash stash)
• Week #5 – SUPPLIES
• Week #6 – PET & HYGIENE KIT
• Week #7 – COMFORT (Clothing, Toys, Games)
• Week #8 – MY SURVIVAL STATION REVEAL & LINK PARTY

 

 





Happy Halloween

Greetings.  Halloween is right around the corner and Lil Cinnamon would like to share her costume that we made.  And by we I mean me.  I used this tutorial and it worked perfectly.  I did use a different poodle and I'm sorry to say I can't remember where I got it but you can google oodles of poodles easily (Dr. Seuss anyone?).
I was perfectly content on buying her costume this year and in fact had a costume that was given as a gift late last year but it was too small.  I went to exchange it but the store would only give me $1.67 credit for the costume.  It was the exact same costume from last year to this year but the tag gave it away that it was from last year.  I decided not to give into the corporate greed and kept the costume and gave it to a friend who has a baby a few days younger that Lil C but is much smaller. 
Mr. Sangria didn't like the costume anyway so I decided I'd whip up this costume.  I had all intentions of us all dressing up and was going to make mine as well but at the end of the day I'm tired and I didn't finish mine in time.  I may get a burst of energy and finish it in the next day or so but that's doubtful.  But in the meantime Lil Cinnamon had an early Halloween party yesterday so we got to get dressed up and it was so much fun. 

On a side note, we have family in NYC and Connecticut.  Hoping everyone is safe and sound.  Please keep us updated.

Cheers!

Necklace Holder

I love necklaces.  Well I did before Miss Cinnamon decided to grab anything and everything that I wear.  But I have quite a bit of necklaces and never know where to put them so I can clearly see them and where they won't get tangled.  Currently I have them in shoe boxes, in my jewelry box, in the box the necklace came in, in paper bags (not sure why), and also in organza bags around the hangers of some outfits they go with -the problem with that is I forget to wear the necklace with other outfits.

I saw this idea somewhere floating around the internet so I can't take credit for it but I thought it was pretty clever.

1.  Take a wooden coat hanger and some hooks.  I used Hillman 7/8" White Cup Hooks - purchased at Lowe's.

 2.  If you have a hanger without the bottom that's better but if you only have pant hangers like I do, then just take the bottom portion off. 

 3. Drill evenly spaced holes where the cup hooks will be.  Mr. Sangria did this part.  I would have done it but we don't have a clamp to hold the hanger and I was afraid of it slipping and then I'd drill my leg or something.  I told him if he slipped and had to go to the ER he would have to drive himself as I wasn't waking Lil Cinnamon to take him.  Honestly I was a bit afraid.  Sadly not in a loving way but more of a "I know he's going to slip, this is the kind of sh!t that happens to us" kind of way. 

4.  Done!  I think one day I may paint it white so it looks better but for now this will do. 
5.  Please forgive the messy closet.

6.  I'm happy to report there was no loss of blood for this project.

We're moving and random pictures

We as in the Sangria household.  With the arrival of Lil Cinnamon we have outgrown our current home.  If you are a personal friend and reading this we are only moving about 5 minutes away, not across the country as some have already asked.  And because of this move it has left very little time for creating.  Mostly just purging of things.  Right now I'm purging my kitchen of food that I want to use up and not move and I'm also using this time to just play around with my new (3 months old now) camera.  This past summer I went a little nuts buying berries and freezing them for winter use.  So I made a lemon and blueberry loaf cake courtesy of Martha Stewart.  

Umm, whoopsie?  haha.  I guess I didn't use enough flour on the bottom.  Good thing it was just for Mr. Sangria and myself.  Depite the look it tasted wonderful.  But I don't think I'll make this again anytime soon.  There were just too many steps in this recipe and lately I'm more of an instant gratification kind of girl.

I also made some brownies for a Super Bowl party that we attended.  I have some hard core NY Giants fan friends.  It's always fun going to Super Bowl parties when people are legit fans, not just "well I choose this team just because" type of fans.  They go nuts.  We have an amazing group of friends and they are pretty much split between former New Yorkers and former Boston residents.  Sadly we cannot mix these friends during Super Bowl games.  Mr. Sangria is an Eagles fan as he grew up in Philly but since the in laws live in NY now we got to attend the NY fan screening.  But back to the brownies, another thing to remove from the kitchen.  I'm not sure how the box got into my kitchen as I'm pretty crazy about not using boxed brownies.  Oh well.  With the large amounts of alchol consumed no one noticed.  Who am I kidding, no one cared.

Have you heard about Pinterst?  Of course you have.  Well I stumbled across this pin and decided to take on this challenge.  I'm not going to bore you with every picture this month but just because I think it's fun here are a few.

10am (as well as 8am and usually 3pm)

Dinner - pepperchini tortellini salad.

Cheers,

Cinnamon Sangria

This past Sunday I ran the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon at Disneyland.  It was a lot of fun.  My first race post Lil Cinnamon.  30 friends ran for a friends 30th birthday.  Most of them dressed up as Tinkerbell.  We all had a blast.  It wasn't anywhere close to my best time but considering we stopped to have many pictures taken and I've only been back in the running game for a month now I'm happy.  And I have new bling to add to my collection.  Tinkerbell spins - it's more fun than it looks.

Next race is the Hollywood Half Marathon in April.

Cheers!

A week in mobile pictures

Our orchid finally died.  So sad.  I meant to take a picture of it when it had one sad flower bloom left on it but never got around to it.  I received it as a gift after Lil Cinnamon was born and it was so beautiful.  I kept it alive for 4.5 months which is about 4x as long as I've ever kept an orchid alive.  They just hate me, not sure why.  I've heard overwatering is what kills them.  Next time I promise to ignore completely any plant that is given to me.

I'm in "training" for a half marathon next weekend.  Disney's Tinkerbell Half Marathon.  I say "training" because I only started running again 2 weeks ago after taking an entire year off.  I exercised throughout my pregnancy but didn't do any running as it made me incredibly winded.  I can take a year off and get back into the grove in 3 week right?  Probably not.  As long as I'm not the last person to finish I'm ok with whatever my time is.  I run around this lake and it's so peaceful and beautiful.

Last Monday Mr. Sangria, Lil Cinnamon, and myself went to the Staples Center for the LA Clippers vs the NJ Knicks.  Or maybe it was the Nets?  Not sure.  One of my friends had box tickets and invited all of the babies and families from our "Mom and Me" class.  By far the cutest box there.  It was great to go but I didn't watch 1 minute of that game.  Mr. Sangria could not believe we had such great tickets and no one but himself and another dad watched the game.  We were too busy gabbing to be bothered with sports.

Cheers!

Cinnamon Sangria

2012 already?!?

Happy 2012 Everyone!

I hope your holidays were filled with cheer. 

Now that Lil Cinnamon is a bit older (4 months now – wow times flies) I’m getting a little bit more time to do things.  She naps longer and sleeps through the night, well most nights.  Fingers crossed it stays this way!

Also Mr. Sangria had 2.5 weeks off at the end of December as his company was closed for the holidays.  That gave me tons of time to get my house organized and such.  So I’m starting 2012 off with a clean slate, almost.  There is still some hoarding/clutter going on in the Sangria household as I can’t quit cold turkey!  But at least now most of my time won't be devoted to organizing.

I’m normally not one for making New Year’s resolutions.  I find them a little hokey.  But call me hokey this year.  By golly, I’m keeping this place clutter free and I’m doing something creative more often.  I should clairify that my house is not dirty, you can eat off the floors,  the problem is clutter and mail.   I curse the credit card companies that send me pre-approval letters on a daily basis.  I have a huge shredding stack that gets larger and larger. 

Back to the point of this post.  Mr. Sangria bought me a necklace back in November that I wear daily.  It has Lil Cinnamon's initial and a diamond.  Love it!  But it’s a wonder that necklace hasn’t been snapped off my neck by now.  It’s only a matter of time as we’ve had some close calls already.  It’s small and dainty but sometimes something else is needed.   So I made this scarf.  It’s great for year round wear.  Summer or winter.  As this 83 degree heat we are having today has me confused as to what season we are in.  Lil Cinnamon can grab and pull all she wants and she won’t break it.  I think it will look great with jeans and a t-shirt. 

Cheers!

Cinnamon Sangria