Monday, November 15, 2010

H2O


Add one more goal to the list: drink more water! Yes, I've decided that I don't drink enough water so I'm trying to start a new habit....I bought one of those cheesy water jugs and am gonna try to drink one a day....maybe.

water facts

1. Roughly 70 percent of an adult’s body is made up of water.
2. At birth, water accounts for approximately 80 percent of an infant’s body weight.
3. A healthy person can drink about three gallons (48 cups) of water per day.
4. Drinking too much water too quickly can lead to water intoxication. Water intoxication occurs when water dilutes the sodium level in the bloodstream and causes an imbalance of water in the brain.
5. Water intoxication is most likely to occur during periods of intense athletic performance.
6. While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some water to the body.
7. Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body.
8. Pure water (solely hydrogen and oxygen atoms) has a neutral pH of 7, which is neither acidic nor basic.
9. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it.
10. Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water.
11. Much more fresh water is stored under the ground in aquifers than on the earth’s surface.
12. The earth is a closed system, similar to a terrarium, meaning that it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed at the beginning of the earth is still present today.
13. The total amount of water on the earth is about 326 million cubic miles of water.
14. Of all the water on the earth, humans can use only about three tenths of a percent of this water. Such usable water is found in groundwater aquifers, rivers, and freshwater lakes.
15. The United States uses about 346,000 million gallons of fresh water every day.
16. The United States uses nearly 80 percent of its water for irrigation and thermoelectric power.
17. The average person in the United States uses anywhere from 80-100 gallons of water per day. Flushing the toilet actually takes up the largest amount of this water.
18. Approximately 85 percent of U.S. residents receive their water from public water facilities. The remaining 15 percent supply their own water from private wells or other sources.
19. By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over 1 percent of its total water amount.
20. The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

And since we're talking about water here's an organization I became familiar with a couple of years ago thanks to josh :)
Visit the wbsite and help :)

The Hydrate Hope Project from IAmChange on Vimeo.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

please take a seat

oh, well don't mind if I do....thanks

I love this chair


eli on the other hand would prefer this one


yes I am obsessed with furniture...heehee

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Acupuncture

So about a month ago I got sick and couldn't breath...of course I was getting pretty whiny, Eli was dealing with it pretty well until one night before bed....He finally said, "Erica, I can help you, please let me do acuncture on you." Yes, Eli practices acupuncture, and yes, I have a fear of needles. Eli stopped asking me a couple of years ago, I guess he got tired of the resounding NO I would always answer, but that night was different, I wanted relief and was willing to try it.





I had three different sessions and must admit, I felt instant relief and relaxation :)

I Know, I know, people have mixed feelings about alternative healthcare especially acupuncture and the origins of it but this post is not really about that...it's just to say, "hey it worked for me." I know Eli and what he believes so I trust him. So if you have questions about acupuncture and what exactly it's all about.....ummm I can't really help with that, but Eli can...so ask him :)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Be my guest :)

This is the plan I came up with for the guest bedroom, not quite there yet...but making progress....So yea if your in town and need a place to stay be my guest...even though the room doesn't really look like this....yet ha!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Japanese soda

My successful attempt at opening a Japanese Soda...try one they are super good!



So the last couple of weeks or so I have been trying different sodas at work...almost like wine tasting but instead with sodas. This one was one of the most interesting ones because of the way you have to open it. I can't really explain much except that you push down on a marble that falls into your drink which opens the bottle....yea I know it sounds a little weird I thought so too when I first heard of it.

I am now a fan of the Japanese soda!


Video and drink courtesy of Mr.Lam

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Eli the handyman

one of Eli's weekend projects.....




I must admit, I freaked out a little when I walked in and saw the big hole in the door, heh





Monday, September 20, 2010

let them eat cake

Restaurant Review Grade: A
Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique
3310 S. Shepherd
Houston, TX 77098
www.ilovesugarbabys.com

This is a neat little place we went to for dessert, mainly cupcakes and some miniature desserts.
$2.75 a cupcake :)






















Love that they have a private little party room, I can imagine a little girls birthday (or big girls birthday...me!), baby shower, or a bridal shower.....it's such a cute place :)

Sunday, September 19, 2010

For all the Ladies

yes, we are getting older, yes we are getting wrinkly, and yes we are spending money on products to help.....but here is a free a way to help get rid of wrinkles. Not sure if it really works but I thought it was hilarious.....





DO IT! ha

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

how to cut a mango




MMMM... The mango:) It is my favorite fruit, but I must admit It's not a pretty picture when I'm eating one. My mom has pictures of us as kids where she would just peel a mango and let us have at it. We were sticky, smelly, and orange looking babies by the end of the eating experience, and well, I haven't come much further at this age .....til NOW!! The other day I saw a man with a truck full of different fruits, he was selling them in these cardboard crate/box things and of course I spotted the mango from a far and had to stop. He sold me a whole box of those little yellow mangos that I just loved for $6.00. I was so excited to have gotten such a great deal that I couldn't wait to eat them, but remembered how messy of a mango eater I was and decided to wait til I got home. As I was getting ready to peel about four of those little busters (they were the little yellow ones, seriously) I happened to glance at the side of the box where there was a step by step picture of how to cut up a mango. It was then that I had one of the greatest AH-HA moments, for years I had been trying different ways and still ended up messy, what could it hurt, I gave it a try. This is now the official way I cut mangos, and I feel ladylike and mature doing it:)



on step 4 I just get a spoon and dig in, the mango chucks are easy to get off now that they are cut up. DO IT!

****Grammar lesson: So which is the proper plural form of our favorite fruit the mango? According to my Webster's College Dictionary, both mangos and mangoes are accepted spellings.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

when one door shuts.....

yea yea we've all heard the saying, "When one door shuts another one opens" BUT what if your not quite ready to shut that door? I struggle with this and at times feel like Katie in this dance video...wanting doors to stay open, not realizing it's not the best for me, fighting, begging, pleading, and scheming to keep that door open, looking like a crazy person...Gosh how embarrassing when you really look at it that way.



Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose"
He has other doors, better doors, perfect doors opening up for me...for all of us. So yea we may have a door slammed in our face, we may leave kicking and screaming (and feel stupid about it later) but thank God for the closing and at times slamming of doors and the opening of new ones :)

Monday, August 30, 2010

new shoes....



So I just finished reading and signing our school handbook for this year and realized I already broke some rules. NO FLIP-FLOPS/EXTREMELY CASUAL SANDALS or SLIPPER/HOUSE LOOKING SHOES. Yea.....um I've already worn both of these kinds of shoes. Since we are allowed to wear "athletic" shoes on Wednesdays and Fridays I've decided to invest in another pair of casual shoes, I use to wear an old pair of TOMS but they are super worn in and even have holes in them.....don't think I can wear them anymore more to work, so I went back to the TOMS website to see what I could find, and wow they have a great new fall selection :) and since I don't usually wear big and bulky athletic shoes unless I'm working out, I decided on the Slate Wool Cordones and am super excited about it :)


PLUS it's a great cause!



Official Store - TOMS Shoes - One for One - A Pair of New Shoes is Given to a Child in Need With Every Pair Purchased | TOMS.com

Monday, August 23, 2010

back to the routine

Well it's been a crazy summer, it all almost seems like a dream now that I'm back to my routine. This morning as I was driving back to work back to my routine a song played called "lead me" by sanctus real and it made me realize that even though I'm going back to work and school and it's gonna be busy I still need to make time to spend with the people I love and let them know that I enjoy their presence in my life. Though the song is more specific about a husband and his wife and family I applied to all people that I have in my life. I will not let these routines I create in my life stop me from letting family and friends know that I care about them. Ok, now back to my routine of work and getting things ready for class...jk

update on my journey: leviticus 7

here's the song if you want listen

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

new goal


In the profession I'm in I set goals for students and patients and write objectives on how these goals will be accomplished (grad school is really helping me with goal writing), I tend to do this "goal writing" in my own life....I may not always accomplish my goals in the most graceful of ways but I usually get there somehow (with lots of help and hard work of course). I have set a new goal for myself...to read the bible front to back in a year. I know this may not be an in depth study of the word but I've always wanted to do it and I think it will be a great journey. I don't really want to set a reading schedule for myself, although I may have to later if I see I'm falling behind but I don't want it to be like that... you know what I mean?
Anyway I'm exited about it... I'm sure I'll have much to share throughout the year :)

DAY 1!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

WHAT A MESS!




This is what my desk has looked like all summer due to grad school!!!!! I'm ready for my 2 week vacation!!!

Bedroom Update

So we decided on the Edland series furniture that we blogged about a while back... so far so good. We are very pleased with the way the room is turning out and though we are not completely finished yet we thought it was time for an update.

Custom ordered upholstered nailhead headboard in a neutral off white color.




First time I've used a power tool, as you can see it took my full concentration.. Oh and please excuse the mess, but I'm just trying to keep it real..lol







2 of the 3 pieces (and a sneak peak at one of the options for bedding)




More to come!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Restaurant Review: Grand Lux Cafe


5000 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77056-5619

The idea for Grand Lux Cafe came to life when The Venetian Resort, Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas asked David Overton, Founder of The Cheesecake Factory Restaurants, to create an upscale casual restaurant concept for their property.

Excited by the proposal and the opulent "Venetian" theme, Mr. Overton traveled to Europe to study Italian trattorias, French bistros, and the grand cafes and pastry shops of Vienna. This culinary tour through Europe, focused on food, architecture, décor and design, provided the inspiration for what the restaurant was destined to become.

Blending the grandeur and luxury of European cafes with the sensibilities and spirit of an all-American restaurant, "Grand Lux Cafe" was born. Today, with locations in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Houston, Grand Lux Cafe is proud to offer it's guests unique, casual global cuisine in an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere. (Blurb from their website)

Taking pictures inside using Eli's new Iphone, yes he finally got it :)




This place is beautiful inside


Oven Baked Rustic Pizza and Caesar salad, Yellow Tomato Pasta Pomodoro with Chicken Meatballs YUMMO! No, it's not the healthiest meal but it was one of the tastiest!



This place never disappoints us and thought we should share about it's greatness! They have a great lunch menu that serves til 5pm at great prices, portions are a good size, atmosphere is lively, has great service, AND we think it's way better than Cheesecake Factory.

Grade: A

Thursday, June 24, 2010

BOOOOO Iphone


Ok maybe not BOOO to the Iphone (I know some of you Iphone haters got excited for a second) more like BOO for standing in line! SO my poor Eli stood in line this morning for almost 4 hours to purchase the new Iphone, as he approached the store he was told, "Sorry we ran out"....It really surprised me cause he's usually successful at things like this :( He came home bummed and went straight to bed. This Iphone thing is getting pretty scary.....But I must admit I don't think I can switch back to any other phone.

Line from one end of mall to the other and out the door


Before and After Wall

So we've had this blank wall in our living room for a while now and had no clue what to do..... It is close to the TV so we didn't want to hang a big rectangular piece of art because we thought it would compete with the big rectangular TV. SO...our search began for a collage or series of some sort (either art or frames) to hang on the wall....After months of searching we came back to one of our first choices, 6 square antiqued mirrors. They are big in scale so they would take up most of the wall, antiqued for a worn look, mirrored to help make the room look bigger and reflect more light which seems to brighten up the room. Yea, we saw these a while back but just didn't know if they were the ones, after seeing them again displayed at the store and having a beautiful french lady come up to us asking if we were contemplating the purchase of the mirrors, she quickly gave us her thoughts and said, "Get them, they are beautiful. I have them in my home and always get compliments" (of course she said it in that lovely french accent) So...we went for it and got them :) and are happy with the results!

BEFORE:


The mirrors we purchased:


After:


A big thanks to Mr.Eli for taking time to hang them up for me :)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Candid Shots with My Elly Belly

Love these candid shots Eli took while at the pool with Elly, I think I'm gonna order the prints and buy a collage frame to keep them in :)














absolutely love the face on this one, I was feeding her a paleta :)


Love Her :)