just so you know

makenzie,
sorry again for being super jealous today. I thinking going out for sketching and dancing with "mystery boy at the moment" is a super exciting fun adventure with potential in so many different fields - the biggest being stories to tell me late !!! You're just my favorite little baked potatoe and i don't like sharing you.
thats all,
dena.

oh lawd have mercy.

Well Makenzie and i have a few New Years Resolutions of our own, just in case ya'll were wonderin. Let me begin by explaining the videos that have been posted. It all began new years eve while makenzie and i participated in the long and painful process of picking out a new years eve outfit to wear to our favorite honky tonk where we'd planned to ring in 2011 with another dear friend. The two of us are too special to simply shop in style, no we must add our our personality to each and everything we do. The secret ingredient this time came in the form of our "ni ni". For those of you who aren't privileged enough to know, the term "ni ni" refers to the four year old star and beauty queen of TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras, Makenzie's pacifier. As stated by the glamor queen herself, "When i have my Ni Ni i don't care about nothin else."
And so the night continued, Ni Ni and all.
The next day, the real Makenzie and i attended our first "funeral" a performance piece, organized by the local Houston artist Emily Sloan. The ceremony was beautiful. Makenzie's eulogy was read aloud for the congregation with a few others and we all had our portraits made by the mysterious man in the back corner. I was both privileged and pooped to see one of my recent crushes... with his girlfriend. oh well, another one crossed off the list. Back to the funeral. Makenzie and myself participated in the ceremonial bonfire where we incinerated momentos of 2010 and walked away new southern bells of the new year. We are also proud to say we made our first of, hopefully many casseroles. The recepie, to the best of my memory follows:

Calamity Jane's Classic Corn Casserole:

1 box jiffy cornbread mix
1 can cream-style corn
1 cup cour cream
1/2 oil
2 eggs
2 heaping spoons of suger
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all in your mothers best mixing bowl, pour into
8 x 8 greased pan and cook for 45 minutes in a 350
degree oven.
Serve and enjoy.

Genius

Dena and I are pretty much geniuses. It started off with me wanting to improve my wardrobe/reinvent myself. I am hanging butcher paper in my room and making a mind map of things that inspire me so I can understand my own personal style better. Because some mornings I wake up and like bows and ruffles, and then some days, I want ripped tights and vans. That's my part of the plan.

Dena then said that we should draw all our items of clothes on recipe boxes. For instance, draw one shirt on one card, one pair of jeans on the other, etc. in order to mix and match and see exactly what we have in our wardrobes. Then we can take them into stores and such. And if I borrow a shirt, I can take it from her box and put it in mine.

Super cute ideas right? I am so excited! Oh, and Dena, I found this video for you.

Road Trip Mix Tape:

Seeing that we've been on this "old country" kick lately, I don't see why we'd play anything but the best on our Texas road trip. Here is the playlist I imaged:

Mama Tried, Merle Haggard

Luckenbach Texas, Good Hearted Woman,

Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up tobe Cowboys. Waylon Jennings

Alrady Gone, the Eagles

Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town, Kenny Rogers

I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, Jackson, I've been Everywhere. Jonnny Cash

The Battle of New Orleans, Jonny Horton

Cigarettes, whiskey, and Wild Wild Women, Robert Ellis and the Boys

and of course...

You Never Even Call me by my Name, David Allen Coe.

Here are a few country girl photos to get you even more in the mood:

Dear Dena

Dear Dena, I made this for you because I wanted to remind you that we are going on a roadtrip this spring! Theses are all things I would bring on a roadtrip with you. Maybe tomorrow when you come to my house we can plan our trip if we run out of things to say!

Surprise!

Look Dena! I made it cute!

Dearest Makenzie,

You got a new bike today, your hottie of a boyfriend bought it for you and i can't wait to see it. Remember those nights we used to ride around Montrose until the wee hours of the morning dreaming about summer flings and a world empty of homework. Perhaps we can reinvent that time in our life, when our callendars were filled with concerts and our thought's filled with lies to our parents. Back when we never got enough sleep and both the circles under out eyes and grades showed the results. Back when we had to count out change at fast food restaurant counters if we wanted anything for dinner. Back when going to the park and seeing 5 people we knew from afar was satisfying enough to call it a "good day". Back when we never spent more than one hour without talking or laughing.

Oh wait, nothings changed.

your bad romance,

Dena

we had a dinner party.
steven and I hosted, makenzie and aaron came.
it was vegetarian, steven cooked
dena got stressed
aaron took cigarette brakes
makenzie went hiking
wished we had a record player on in the background.

Dear Dena

Dear Dena,
I am so proud of you for doing all your homework. You've really been applying yourself. I am proud of you for making notes in your book. You're making me very jealous. I'm proud of you for working so hard on the philosophy questions and not just giving up. I'm proud of you for managing your time so well this semester. I'm proud of your 95 on your spanish test. Bien Hecho!!

That's it basically. Sorry I've been so stressed/emotional lately. Things are looking up.

Miss you best friend! See you in class!

MEJORES AMIGAS

I was having a super crappy day today and Dena went in my room and wrote me this note. She made my bed and took out my trash. She put clean water in all my vases of flowers. She also took notes for me in Philosophy because I couldn't even stay in class today. Thank you best friend. I love you!

one week down

summer abruptly ended, and now in one fell swoop school is back in session. makenzie and i joke about getting a weekend off, but heck, this is real life. if its not residence hall activities, meetings, or responsibilities its homework or classes. we constanly complain but deep in side we both love the trill that comes with a jam packed schedual. This weekend is no exception.

thursday:
dena's hall event
drive-in movie on parking garage roof
Steven and i alone time
makenzie and aaron concert time

Friday:
makenzie works the front desk
i work the front desk
nap time
makenzie gets to make "creepies" with a friend
i get a nap
2 pm make jello
4 pm BINGO
7pm critical mass bike ride
franks pizza tradition
sleepovers ?

Saturday:
makenzie volunteering at physiology event
university wide jello extravaganza

Sunday:
homework....?
no way !!!

Dear Dena

Dear Dena, here is a video I think you will like. It is kind of long. Sorry. 

Its Been Awhile

Sorry for the lack of posts everyone. Dena and I have been busy at our school for the past two weeks. We are both Sophomore Advisors (SA's) in our residence hall. We help freshman transition into college life and living away from home for the first time. We have been in training from morning to night every day for the past week and a half, then we've been doing move-ins and orientations with the residents. Its a challenging job. We've been in lockdown...no boyfriends...no leaving campus...but tomorrow is the official first day of school! I'm excited. I've always loved the first day of school. New backpacks, school supplies, teachers, and friends. I also like having a routine.
I'm super exhausted. I have to work the front desk at 6 am tomorrow. The plus is that I get to watch the sun rise!
Here's to a great year!

$ 2.99 splurge well worth it

On the topic of consumables, I'd like to add my newest grocery store splurge. Amy's Peace Sign Pasta. Not only does the little Amy's rabbit have a tye-dye theme but the actually noodles are peace signs ! The sauce it comes with isn't my favorite, and the price is almost triple that of good ol' easy mak, and I can only find it at Fiesta. But, i don't regret the splurge and extra trips - I definitely recommend it.

Mason Jar Coffee

Think you need a fancy coffee maker for a great brew? A french press? An espresso machine? Think again! All you need is a mason jar and some cheesecloth or a coffee filter. 

Step One: Measure out 1/3 cup coarse ground coffee (or whatever coffee you have is fine) and pour into a tall mason jar (I used a 20z jar)

Step Two: Add 16-20oz plain old tap water. It doesn't have to be hot or cold. Lukewarm is fine. The less water, the stronger the coffee. I used 20oz and the coffee was plenty strong. 

Step Three: Screw the lid on and shake gently to combine. 

Step Four: Put the jar somewhere cool, like the pantry or a cabinet, and let sit for 12+ hours.  

THE NEXT MORNING

Find a pitcher, bowl, old tupperware, anything that will hold 20oz. I used an old yogurt container

Cover the mouth of the mason jar with a cheesecloth or a coffee filter and pour the coffee into the container. This will filter out the grounds and coffee silt. 

I washed the mason jar and poured the coffee back into it, because it looks nice. 

TO SERVE THE COFFEE

Serve coffee in a tall glass with ice. Mason Jar Coffee is less bitter than other brews so you may not need as much milk or sugar. However, you can add both if you so choose. The left over coffee can be stored in the refrigerator. 

You can read an article about cold brewed/mason jar coffee in the New York Times and you can find their recipe here.

robert ellis

my turn for a post about makenzie and my love for local musicans.

first up: Robert Ellis and The Boys

Makenzie and I first experienced this country sensation on the first week of February, what mak and i have titled " the week it all began". We had been to Mango's earlier that week and decided to make it back for what they call country night. Country night consists of an all age show that starts around 10 and the best part is that there's no cover charge! That February 3rd was a night to remember. We not only met a bunch of new friends and danced our hearts out but i have my first kiss with a boy who i'm now madly in love with. My boyfriend steven. Wednesday nights at mangos have since become a weekly tradition.

Robert and Will at SummerFest 2010

Robert at Mangos

Robert and Geoffery at Mangos

Whoooos Drivvvinggg?

Our Favorite Local Bands: Sideshow Tramps

One of my all time favorite Houston bands is Sideshow Tramps. I first saw Sideshow play at St. Thomas in the fall at Shadwell's Wake, a pretend funeral for "the worst poet in history". There was a fake coffin that we carried around campus while Sideshow Tramps marched and played. Here's a video of Sideshow Tramps playing at Summerfest 2010. You can see Dena, Steven, and I dancing near the front. 

On January 31, there was a fundraiser show at Mango's for Haiti and Sideshow Tramps was on the lineup. I told her we HAD to go. There were very few people at the event because it was a Sunday night. Sideshow Tramps started playing and we went CRAZY. We danced crazy up on the front row. During the song called Lady Vodka, the lead singer aka The Reverend, came out into the crowd to "kill" his lover. He picked Dena and pretended to slit her throat. There was a very drunk 50 year old lady who kept wanting to dance with me. Here's a video of Sideshow Tramps:

The live experience is one million times more exciting. And I have a major crush on like...all of them. And The Reverend and Geoffery are graduates from St. Thomas. Yay!

Okay dena...your turn! Wanna talk about some of our other favorites? 

Tim and Eric memories

Nice figurines

Great hats

Those are my figurines, and i got those hats at Tiny Hats.

spring semester

Summer is half way over, and although i should be supa' sad, i'm actually not too upset. Makenzie and i had a crazy weekly line up last semester and i just know we'll start some new traditions this upcoming school year.

last semester schedule:

Mondays:

lazy morning breakfast

last minute homework

class from lunch until early afternoon

group dinner

Makenzie's late class

open mic night at house of te

asleep by 2, usually at a mutual friends house

Tuesdays:

quick breakfast

Philosophy class together

theology class together ie: facebook - thirty

group lunch, often with unexpected guests at menil park

dena's last class of the afternoon

group dinner

music at Brasil coffee shop

open mic at avantgarden starting at 12

in bed by 3 am

Wednesdays:

late group brunch

class together

Dena's house for group cooking

food not bombs, feeding homeless people downtown

free food ar school, wonderful wednesdays

robert ellis country night at Mango's

in bed by 3 am

Thursdays:

group breakfast

class together

menil park group lunch, guitars and crooker virtually free food

celebrate end of school week

dena's stinkin' last class of the day

more menil park, let the weekend begin.

Friday: celebration of life, youth, freedom and the endless weekend

Saturday: bike riding, spending money, laundry, no homework in sight

Sunday: homwork becomes a reality - but not too big of a concern

Dena goes to church

group sleepover at a mutual friends house, silly sunday night rituals

..... and then it all starts again.

........ any hopefully thinking for next year makenzie dearest ?