I'm gonna be a cat lady when I grow up!

As if we don't have enough cats here, or enough cat things for me to obsess about, I just had to find these:

Cat measuring cups!!!!

I really want to buy them, because they are so precious! I wish our house had them as well as these:

or these:

If anyone would like to make a donation of these cute-things to our house, we would be ok with that!

xoxo
Jenna

My Save the Dates ... maybe

This is what I am thinking about doing for my 'Save the Dates' ...

I think instead of the strip of paper saying "pencil us in," I want to do a photobooth strip and we can hold up signs "pencil" "us" "in" "April 16, 2011" in the four different pics.  Then we'd just wrap the photo strip around the pencil (that will be personalized: "elizabeth & ramon are getting hitched ... 16 April 2011") and tie it with a cute ribbon.

What do we think?????

xoxo,
Elizabeth

PICK MY HONEYMOON!!!

So we're trying to decide where we should go for our honeymoon.

We have always dreamed of Fiji, but are trying to find something a little more reasonable than: "Honeymoon Packages starting at only $14,000 per week!!!"

But, sigh.  It is oh so beautiful.

We're hoping for an all-inclusive beach resort!  Hopefully you guys can give us some great suggestions with your comments below.  We're not partial as to where, as long as we can be beach bums for a week or two.

Thanks!

He Who Invented the 'MIMOSA' was Ingenious

Is there anything better than a nice refreshing Mimosa?  What a special treat this is...

Noun

1.

orange juice - bottled or freshly squeezed juice of orange

Noun

1.

champagne - a white sparkling wine either produced in Champagne or resembling that produced there bubbly sparkling wine - effervescent wine

Ingredients:


Champagne
2 ounces of cold orange juice (Oh, if you have fresh orange juice, what a special treat!)
Orange slice for garnish if using a large wine glass (not a flute - no garnish with a flute)
Crushed ice (optional)


Instructions:


Pour OJ into a champagne flute (I use just a tiny bit of crushed ice in mine)
Add champagne to fill the glass but be careful not to overfill
Garnish with a slice of orange if using a glass other than a flute
*If you want more ice, use a large wine glass and pour 3 parts of champagne in the glass and then add 2 parts OJ.


Variations of the Basic Mimosa Recipe:


Add a tablespoon of Grand Marnier and you'll have created a Grand Mimosa
Use cranberry juice instead of OJ and you have created a Hibiscus or a Poinsettia
Use pink grapefruit juice instead of OJ and enjoy a Lilosa
A Fauxmosa is a virgina Mimosa (no champagne).  Use 7Up or Sprite in place of champagne.




From the traditional OJ and champagne to the Lilosa, these recipes will add an extra flare to every occasion.  Mimosas are just the most wonderful beverage at any time of the day.  I shall go make one right now ...


xoxo,
Elizabeth

best study song ever ...

This is so gorgeous ...

Mono - Burial at the Sea

Enjoy!

xoxo,

Elizabeth

Such a rebel...

I think this picture pretty much sums up what I think about cops:

So, when I was pulled over the other day, I just kinda shriveled. 

Normally (I say normally, but I've only been pulled over thrice) I get pulled over for speeding, but this particular night I had just made a turn and I was speeding up, so I wasn't going crazy fast. All the sudden I see lights flashing behind me and I start shaking like a leaf. 

"Please dear God, don't let him see shaking and think I'm a meth-head like my neighbors!"

Shining his flashlight directly in my eyeballs didn't help anything and I know that when I started to make ridiculous small talk with him, he probably thought I was running away from the law. 

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

"No. I was probably speeding. That's what I get pulled over for." (Ok, stop talking Jenna. This small talk isn't working in your favor.)

"No, you failed to use your blinker when you turned right onto King."

Oh. my. gosh. Really? Really? Just days ago, some guy was screaming bloody murder because someone was killing him! (We can all attest to that) Do Sherman cops care about that? Uh, no. They want to catch petty criminals.

Long story short, he told me I could call it an "oops" and let me go!

In the trade off, I asked him if he had any police trading cards (demonstrated below).

 

 Unfortunately, he didn't have one. But at least I didn't let the chance go by to ask!

xoxo-Jenna

My Wedding Chapel!!!!

The Ceremony Site: Perkins Chapel (SMU).  It's all happening here... April 16, 2011!!!!!

We paid the deposit today and it is all set in stone.  I am beyond thrilled!  What do you think??
*Reception Site coming soon ...

xoxo,

 Elizabeth

Cherry House = Neighborhood Crime Watch

Once again, the neighbors give me no choice but to blog about their obnoxious behavior.

Ok, so here at the Cherry House, we are basically the only neighborhood crime watch house for our entire neighborhood (and all surrounding neighborhoods, since we are the only ones who give a care). We don't really do it out of duty, but because we are greedy whores for all juicy news, scandal and seduction happenings around the area.

Thanks to our white trash neighbors, two nights ago, our appetites for all sorts of news was fed and full as we heard 100% pure drama running down the street at 1:30 in the am screaming bloody murder. All the sudden, Monster Truck across the street peels out of their driveway and chases after the screaming fool.

Naturally, three out of the four of us gathered together in the dark of our house to discuss the juicy details of this crime. To give you an idea how seriously we take neighborhood crime theatrics, let's just say Agatha Christie (see below) ain't got nothin' on us!

 We are pretty much pros when it comes to accurately assuming and matching all sorts of crime detail to the appropriate neighbor. We are not judging, just laying the correct evidence next to each neighbor. 

 

So, when the truck tore off after the tortured, screaming soul and shortly returned back to the house, it was safe to assume that the Driver caught up with Screamer and ran over him/her. After flinging The Body into the truck, Driver came back to the house to transport The Body into the trunk of a less conspicuous car to then take and dump in the lake. 

Just to explain the magnitude of how seriously we take our crime watch, we went out on our porch at 1:30 in the am to get a better look/sound. We risked life, limb and female virtue to get a better look at the action when there were criminals (see below) running around willy nilly! But if we hadn't done that, then the crime wouldn't have been solved now, would it? We know the murderers of the body that was found at the bottom of the lake. Yes, they are our neighbors! 

Yes, in the dark living room of our house we solved this crime and came up a plan to prevent the Bad Guys from sticking our bodies in their trunks. So don't worry about us, faithful readers! We have a foolproof escape plan that includes giant gardening sheers and a getaway car. 

Love love, 

Jenna

Pregnant

No, not one of us!  Our cat, Mirabelle June Cherry.  Our sweet, innocent, little Mirabelle is knocked up.

At first we didn't take heed to the signs.  We just always have assumed the best of our little Mirabelle June.  But then in a matter of two days, she went from a cute fat belly to HUGE!  She is absolutely enormous.  I don't really even know how she fits through the doorway, honestly.

Before you start casting your stones and blaming us as irresponsible parents, please take note that we rescued her at four months of age several weeks ago and apparently she got preggers right before.  {insert "Babies having Babies" lyrics here}

  

We as parents are looking to this site to give us coping guidance.

So we're putting these kittens-to-be up for adoption.  If you or someone you know can promise to give one of them a loving home, comment below.  We're expecting Mirabelle to give birth in the next week or so.  We will keep you updated.

xoxo,

Elizabeth

Lawn Care, Who Cares?

So we have had our Hispanic friend, Alfredo (pronounced like the sauce), giving our lawn manicures since we have moved into the Cherry House.  He charges $35, takes all day, and does an okay job (we'd compare it to a hair trim).

Then the other day a man knocks on our door and offers to cut our grass.  I politely turned down the offer and told him we already had someone who was supposed to be coming later this week.  He asked how much he charged and naturally I told new-guy $30, less than Chicken Alfredo actually charges (we go to Austin College, okay?  We're taught to think on our toes!).  The guy said he'd do it all for $25 and we shook hands.

About 20 minutes later I was walking out to my car and his wife was riding around on the John Deere while he was trimming our hedges.  How cute!?!  A little cute couple making their living!

Long story sweet, they did a wonderful job!  We compare it to a fresh, clean hairCUT!

Sorry Alfredo.  It's over.

Get Us Outta Here!

Last night Jenna and I decided that we needed a little change in scenery. Since this week was dreadful and we both could use a little relaxation, we are going to this a little bit differently than usual. More specifically # 3 and 7. So we are going to go hiking close by and take our study stuff with us to do a little light reading and studying. Hopefully the weather stays nice!

XOXO
Lindsey

Free Stuff

I don't think I have ever met anyone who didn't like getting something for free.  Everybody loves free stuff!  Sometimes things are so much better just because they're free.  Well, maybe everything except for the craigslist free section.  That stuff is just crap.  But otherwise, free stuff is awesome...

Tomorrow is free brewed coffee at Starbucks in honor of Tax Day!  All you have to do is bring your own mug and you will get their daily brew for free!!!!  Who could pass this up?  It almost seems too good to be true... but it is all true, my friends.  

So tomorrow morning you will find me at Starbucks, drinking my free coffee out of my own mug, probably buried in some wedding magazines!

What do you like to get for free?

xoxo,
Elizabeth

You've got to be kidding me...

I haven't been to the doctor since.....well...since way younger than 10. I don't even know. But I fear that my winning streak is coming to an end this Friday as I am scheduled to go to the doctor.

*Insert all sorts of explatives*

For the past several weeks, I've been getting stomach aches like no one's business and they hurt like a mother! For hours a day my stomach will either feel like burning or like a bowling ball is stuck in there (that's honestly it! I'm not withholding symptoms because I feel like I'll be judged if I say "I have gas"). Tums has become my best friend. I have to slouch like crazy during classes to get into some kind of comfortable position. I've changed my whole diet so that I'm eating a lot more alkaline (instead of acidic) foods. I bought some "good bacteria" vitamin pills from Green Market and have been making all sorts of drink-concoctions from the fruits/herbs found there.

Ok, let's talk about how serious this is. I've given up coffee and super sugary foods (and it's not because of our diet). I've got no other choice, because those foods hate my tummy right now.

All of these natural remedies/diet choices seem to help, but I have a feeling that this problem (though waning) isn't going away any time soon. I'm up to trying any kind of remedy (provided that it's natural and not chemically induced), because this problem is getting kind of old. And honestly, it's really keeping me away from doing homework, because it's kinda hard to focus when your belly is inconsolably aching.

If you've got a remedy, let a sister know!

I'm going to the doctor, but only to see what he thinks it might be (and be one step closer to running tests if need be). Not to be an obnoxious organic-snob-girl, I just really really don't want to take chemically drugs.

xoxo- Jenna

I'm ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!

I have the most wonderful news that I have been withholding from our little blog ... I am getting married!!!  My boyfriend of seven years popped the big question on April Fools Day!  I know, I know.  I thought it was a joke, too!  I think he strategically planned it that way incase he ever wants to take it back! :-) :-) :-)

We are so absolutely thrilled beyond words!  I am graduating in December so we are planning for a Spring wedding.  I am having a hard time thinking about anything else at this point and can't wait to keep our blog updated with all of the big plans.

I am sneaking away to Dallas tomorrow to look at a few venues with my mom!  We are going to see:

Perkins Chapel (Ceremony)
Arlington Hall at Lee Park (Reception)

Also, we have put everything Netflix has to offer on "Marie Antoinette" in our Queue for a little inspiration to fulfill my 'garden-tea party' themed wedding!

xoxo,
Elizabeth

Make-Out Bottle Girl

UGH! Okay, so I'm sitting in the school's coffee shop computer lab, dutifully working on homework, and the like, when a person walks in and sits at the computer right next to me. Nothing too bad...yet. So we are surfing away, me and my buddy, I'm looking for articles and she...well, she is looking at articles with awful pictures pasted of Pres Obama. I don't know what that is about. Anyways, we are still doin fine here, but then she decides she is in great need of a drink. So she hops up and goes right into the Hopper store to get something. She comes back. I notice she's gone with an Izze bottled drink. A fine choice and I mentally commend her for it.
I soon regret my appreciation.
She doesn't just drink from the bottle. She sips. And sips. And sips. And sips. CONTINUOUSLY! Folks, I counted 30+ little tiny baby sips in one setting before she even paused or put the drink down. One. right. after. another. Within about 30 seconds she has only drunk about 1/16th of this normal sized bottle but has taken a MILLION sips. And they are the loudest slurpiest most discusting sounding sips I have ever heard. I felt like I needed to leave her alone with this bottle! UGH! So whenever I see said person, I will forever think of her as Make-Out Bottle Girl. Nice to meet you.
Shudders.

XOXO
Lindsey

Double Chins

So we have this little problem(s) ...  we have more chins than a chinese phonebook.  And I mean really...

Okay, so these were taken January of 2009, but still.  The problem is everlasting.

We have officially deemed ourselves honorary members of our own greek group: Badda-Genetica.


We found this online and really need to check it out: Neckline Slimmer
Let us know if you've tried it and seen results!!!  Comment below.  WE NEED YOUR HELP!

What's a girl to do?!

Usually, I don't look out for vengful vermits or vicious insect of any kind while walking into my house. It's not like I'm paranoid and constantly checking my surrounding for crazed creatures. Well, two days ago my laid back approach of going into the house from my car didn't really work as I'd like it to.
I was just a walkin' into the house when out of my pariferal vision this black thing flies super fast to my arm and attacked it! More out of shock than hurt, I flicked the wasp off my arm and screamed both out of shock and pain. (Maybe the scream wasn't a good idea, because the night before we had a creeper around our house at 2 am and Elizabeth and Liz had to call the coppy-cops out of fright. So maybe my timing wasn't on target, because I think I sounded more abducted than stung to Elizabeth who was sitting in the kitchen.)

Long story short.....I got my first wasp sting. Just because it happened so fast, it didn't happen as bad as I thought it would. I guess it was a good thing that I got it on my wrist instead of my eyelid!

If you ever find yourself in the same situation, I would suggest that (provided you don't seem to have an allergic reaction) you ice it for 10-15 mins if you can and then soon after apply a paste of Baking soda and water to the sting. Stick a giant bandaid over it and if you got the same result as me, you should feel practically nothing soon after! I don't know what it is about baking soda, but it certainly did the trick!!!

xoxo-Jenna

Muh sister

My sister is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (for those of you asking what the crap that is, it's basically the Appalachian trail, but on the west coast that runs from Canada to Mexico) for the next 6 months.

She's keeping a pretty good blog found here.  So if hiking is you kind of thing, keep track of her and read all about some random girl and her friends hiking the trail!

xoxo-Jenna

April Showers, Won't You Please Bring May Flowers?

Are there enough words in the English language that can muster up just how cute my new rain boots are?

I think not.

Bring on the rain, ...man!

xoxo,
Elizabeth

How does our garden grow?

Does this not look like something we would have at our house?

Well we do now!
With the new Liberty Line at Target, I just had to get one. My little herb garden out back loves to be watered by this can! It's oh so "Cherry House!"

Homemade chi tea

I'm kind of addicted Real Simple the magazine and chi tea. So when Real Simple came out with a chi tea recipe I just about died! Ever since this March 2010 issue came out, I've been making some variation of the recipe. It's kind of the bomb. So, if you're into chi tea, I would highly suggest taking a sip of this concoction.
My own suggestions would be:
A) to add a little bit of Cool Whip (without High Fructose Corn Syrup, of course) on the top and mixed in to make it creamier and yummier.
B) Make the spices a little stronger. It really doesn't hurt.
C) definitely at least double the recipe, because it's so good you'll have wanted to anyway.

Ingredients:
8 Cardamom seeds
8 Cloves
4 Black peppercorns
2 Cinnamon sticks
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
2 Cupes whole milk
4 Bags black tea (such as Darjeeling)
8 Teaspoons sugar or more, to taste
2 Cups water

• Place the cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a heavy skillet.
• Place the crushed spices in a medium saucepan, along with the cinnamon sticks, ginger, milk, and 2 cups water: bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. 
• Strain into cups. To each cup, add 2 teaspoons sugar or more, to taste. 
• Tip: You can make this tea and refrigerate it up to 2 days. (It's good cold or reheated!)
  
  Enjoy!