SSPCA

So I was browsing the Sacramento SPCA (for adoptable pets) and I came across these fetching fellas.

I kinda feel too mean posting this, like I'm blogging about ugly children. But I kinda think it's adorable too. I think they are just bad pictures...

Oliver 

Rocky (adopted! yay!)

Gary

Must be the good ol' Sacramento water they are feeding these dogs... And men. Blerg!

I have returned

from France.  Pictures to come.

Still recovering from jet lag as I have to wake up at 5:30 for my classes two days a week (that made it sound wimpier). So tonight, which may or may not also be my birthday, I am in my pjs, eyes already squinting from being tired, watching the nanny and blogging. Guess the 20s really are the most exciting time in your life.

Buuut I did get sushi. And chocolate ice cream. So I'm good.

And I did get a chance to read Mockingjay in between my classes. You guys read it? That series still reminds me of the Twilight series even though people say it isn't the same at all. Same with the Uglies series.



PS. Any advice to convince my parents that The American University of Paris is where I need to be? (Though it is *quite* a bit more expensive than BYU... anyone want to support me and my dream?)

PS.PS. Any tips to help me convince my mom to get an English Bulldog or French Bulldog puppy??

{naomi's ever-adorable Kingsley}

I mean, just look at those cute faces!!

Out of Print

As lover of books, as I'm sure many of you are, I hope you appreciate these T-shirts. 

If I was a t-shirt girl, I'd be all over this. And even as not a t-shirt girl, I may be requesting one for my birthday.

I discovered this wonderful site while reading Pancakes and French Fries post about it.

Here for the shop.

What one would you get? I think I'd snag a Slaughterhouse-Five personally. 

Home at last.

Went to bed at two something Tuesday night after studying and cleaning. 

Woke up at eight to resume the chicken-with-it's-head-cut-off running around of the night before, and proceeded to take my finals until 3. 

Clean clean, pack pack till 4:30 where I was checked out and passed the clean test.

Proceeded to drive 9 hours home.

Home at last, home at last, thank God Almighty, I'm home at last!

.... for about 28 hours until I leave on vacation.

wait, did I not mention that?

Okay so yesterday I was here

Right now I am here.

And on Friday I am leaving for here for a week.

Guess I better brush up on my totally forgotten high school French.

Anewed

(via)

Ever wonder what gives the world that wonderful smell while it rains?

I have my window open right now, just to smell that as I write my paper.

While sipping hot herbal tea for my sore throat.

I love gray skies.

And the soft drumming of rain on the roof as I drift to sleep.

It's as if the earth is taking a soothing shower.

And don't we all feel so much better when we are clean and refreshed?

I know I do.

Mustaches

I know, I know. Everyone is sick and tired of mustaches. But guys, I never did any fun party stuff with them. I only lived vicariously through the blogosphere and so I didn't get it out of my system. Kind of like never listening to the radio so I still love all the songs that everyone else is sick of.

sooo I totally think these are cute and fun.

{via}

Mochi

This is mochi. It is very delicious. And pink. Well if you dye it pink. And you should.

So I went to the Chinese Market about 30 minutes from Provo with some of my roommates last weekend. I didn't get much that I wasn't familiar with, mostly stuff that is at the Korean Market in my hometown. (Or even my grocery store. Who knew I was so spoiled at our local stores in CA?) 

So, me being half Japanese (if you didn't know that, you can read my rant) I picked up some random stuff, but mostly got Mochiko, some mochi bits for ice cream and smoothies and such, and of course, chocolate mochi ice cream. Okay, I don't even know how common it is in Japan to eat mochi, but my grandma used to make it at holidays and it has good memories for me. Plus it tastes amazing.

What is mochi you ask? Well I can't say that I wasn't a little surprised that none of my roommates knew what mochi was (except the one from china) cause apparently I live in a little California bubble where most people have at least heard of mochi ice cream. I mean come on, it's the way americanized version of a japanese dish. I think. I'm not really that asian guys.


(Sold at wonderful places like Trader Joes. If you don't have one near you... sorry?)

Well Mochi is a Japanese dessert (Well I think you can have it more savory, but seriously, why not make it a sweet?) made from rice. There's a whole long process of soaking, cooking, and pounding, rice to make mochi, but thankfully now you can buy a box of Mochiko (sweet rice flour) and cook in in the microwave. Or buy it at asian markets.

If some of you think you have never seen mochi, you may have seen this stuff at a frozen yogurt place. It's mochi.

ehh bad picture. But trust me, it's usually there. At least in CA. But apparently I live in a bubble, so maybe not.

Okay besides this little lesson on Japanese food for you guys, I was posting because I made bibingka (it's actually a Philippino dessert) and my roommates were intrigued. It's pretty delicious if-I-say-so-myself, especially if you aren't sure about mochi, this will slip you into it a little easier.

Because when you make mochi it's just the sweet rice flour, water, and sugar and cooked into deliciousness together. But this recipe adds egg and milk and sugar and vanilla to it, topped with brown sugar and coconut and baked. If any of you want the recipe, ask and I'll update the post with it. Otherwise, I'll keep it in the family.  Bibingka recipes are pretty varied on the web, so I don't know how authentic or not mine is, but it is yummy.

It can look kinda like this, But my recipe has more topping and a little gooier looking.