Our Weekend Trip To Windy Chicago

With Jason done with midterms and Seren's 4th birthday on the 22nd...Jason persuaded me as a family to take a well earned trip to Chicago!

At first I didn't. ... Yes, I know.... What!! Well, let me explain.  I'm trying to lose some unwanted chocolate induced pounds from around my tummy and booty area. Which has left me my esteem a little on the low side....I know,7 kids and I shouldn't be so fixated on 'how I look' right.

Well, as a woman... I think, we all do... even if it's those couple of pounds or maybe a few more. We all want to look good and the most important part

BE HEALTHY!

And I need the later too. So for the past month I've been working out on elliptical and watch in my calories....and ugh not much success as of yet. So this past Wednesday I started my slim in six exercise dvd. And my golly!!! I most certainly am feeling it. I let myself go. I used to Irish dance and did tons of sports at school, I have always been active.

Getting older does take its toll and it's gonna take dedication for me to do this. So with a trip to Chicago and of course famous pizza and dogs!! I cringed at the thought of calorie overload. But I am gonna watch and stick to my calories and take my workout dvd.

So....we are on our Chicago trip. This was our day yesterday driving here. We stopped for lunch at Burgerfi... And I was good on my calories.

We also stopped at the LDS Chicago Temple. Which was wonderful and tranquil. Although cranky Seren was so happy about having pictures taken lol.

We got Downtown Chicago and checked in to La Quinta and then once unloaded headed out to the Sears/ Willis Tower and see if we could step out onto the glass Skydeck.

WE DID STEP ON TO IT TOO.

It was a little daunting. .. But we did it.

Um.....I think this burger, maybe a little TOO big!!

LDS CHICAGO TEMPLE

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A Happy 2nd Birthday, Carys

Yesterday was a sunny day and it was also, 

Carys'  2nd Birthday.

How time flies when you especially don't want it to!

I can still remember, going through labor for the 7th and last time..with Carys.

She was a quick labor :-) I had been blessed with all quick labors..ranging from 5hrs , 4hrs, and my boy Brad..a whopping 50mins from start to finish..

Anyway a beautiful time, even when we are so tired and worn out from all that pushing. .But what a wonderful feeling when that sweet little bundle of joy is placed in your  arms for the first time..

Just wonderful x

We started her day with presents and cards, which she loved tearing open  the wrapping paper.

Also, her sister Seren squealed in delight at Carys getting a baby Lalaloopsy doll and wanting it for herself and crying hopelessly when she couldn't have it( she'll be happy when she gets one for her birthday next Saturday)

Like I mentioned it was a sunny day, warm enough to go out with a thick cardigan and let them splash in the snow puddles!!!

Later we had dinner and the as Carys said...party birthday cake...

All in all a beautiful day celebrating our little darling Carys' 2nd birthday.

Both girls are determined to eat the whole slice in one bite! 

Outside splashing in snow puddles

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A Walk.

Yesterday, the girls and I went for a walk to our friends' home for a super early Thanksgiving Dinner!! Yep... I know Thanksgiving in March,  but our friend's neighbor was fly at home to Shanghai today and she wanted to try an American Thanksgiving Meal. (Which by the way was super lovely - thanks Jessica)

As we bundled up for our walk Seren insisted on pushing Carys in the stroller....all the way only allowing me to have 1 hand to help guide lol...

And not only that, Seren was jabbering all the way there about, oh look at all the snow... And where's the Turkey's! !

On the way home... The stars were twinkling in the dark sky and the moon show in off its bright crescent shape..

Although Seren was saying... Where's the sun?

Me.... It's gone to bed because it's night time.

Seren... Oh ok!  Hello Mr moon... It's night time... And can you see the twinkling stars!!

Carys,  just kept saying..... Oh pretties up the sky

What a wonderful sweet walk with my girls.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Bread With Streusel Topping

I love Banana's and I LOVVVVE chocolate.

So what's the next best thing - Banana Chocolate Chip Bread and what's more - it's super quick and easy to make. 

Here is what you need to make

 Banana Chocolate Chip Bread With Streusel Topping

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Apple Sauce

2 Large Eggs

3 Medium Sized Bananas (Older Bananas work best)

1 & 1/2 Cups of Chocolate Chips

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1Tsp of Baking Soda

1 Tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Tblsp All Spice

Oven 350 Deg's

Streusel Topping

1/4 Cup & 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

Grease your pans. I use a little butter & sprinkle flour in and tap around so that the flour coats the butter

Set aside, until you need them.

HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEG

Mix, Sugar & Eggs

Add Apple Sauce and whisk

Add all Dry Ingredients & whisk, but not completely

Then add Bananas & Chocolate Chips

Now this amount will Either make 4 small loaves or 

1 Large & 16 mini muffin size

Make The Streusel Topping 

Put everything into a bowl a mix with your fingertips. 

Till it resembles breadcrumbs

Pop into the oven & bake for 45 minutes for the LARGE loaf

Or about 35 -40 mins for the 4 smaller loaves

If your making the mini muffins /cupcake size they will only take 10-15 mins

To check it it ready, press the top and if it bounces back up it's done. To make sure the loaf sized ones are done, pop a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean it's done.

Leave to cool

& 

Enjoy.

The Topping is

  Dipilicous Cream Cheese Marshmallow Dip

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Why is the Topic of "Vampires" so Interesting?

Question 3.

So, Why is the Topic of "Vampires" so Interesting?

Over generations the topic of Vampires has 'us'  either falling in Love with them or Hating them. There have been so many different portrayals of the so called 'Vampire'.

We have the somewhat Good, the Bad & the downright Ugly Mcfugly Mean Vamps. 
All of which are Vampires and drink blood, whether it be from humans, animals, or blood bags.
Some Vampires have feelings and protect loved ones or the ones they love.
Some Vamps have souls.
There are Vampires that are weird, creepy. 
Then we have:
We have the Sexy Vamps.
The Romantically inclined Vamps.
Then we have vamps who go about causing mass killings for the sake of it or the thrill of the hunt.
We have vamps that have turned into bats, wolfish kinda beast things, mist, wolves, or have just been a vampire without turning into anything (well, their faces & eye color change don't they!)

And I could go on & on....... One thing I don't like is the CREEPY UGLY MCFUGLY VAMPS (30 Days of Night) - they really creep me out.

I have seen my fair share of Vampire Movies, TV Shows and Books, and I must say, I lean toward the Sexy, somewhat good, romantically inclined, vamps who have a soul. BUT.....I will say this I DO like the BAD BOY Vamps too!!!

Take Angel from Buffy & Angel and his show Angel - He has a soul and when he does, he is on the good side, and you feel for him and all the pain he caused as Angelus. But oh my when he's not getting his soul (the one time he & Buffy do the deed) he lose's it and he becomes quite the Bad Boy) which I find him give quick sarcastic comments.

Check out some of Angelus  best moments HERE

Spike, is the same BAD, BAD with that great whit then, in the end is good & gets his soul (which by the way I cried at the finale) 
But loved it when he showed up in the TV show Angel and his funny whit was back,
Check out some of Spike's best moments HERE

I love watching or watched
Vampire Diaries
The Originals
Dracula TV Show
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Angel

I also loved watching the Movies about Vampires

Bram's Stokers Dracula
Fright Night 1985 &  2011
Most of Christopher Lee Movies
Dracula 2000
The Lost Boys
All the Underworlds!
Twilight Saga
All of The Blade Movies
PLUS PLENTY MORE

I remember watching the Black & White Dracula Movies the actors who played Dracula, Bela Lugosi, Jon Carradine, Christopher Lee
Frank Langella (which, may I add was the 1st color Dracula movie I saw & it scared the living daylights out of me)

To the modern Vamps - Gary Oldman, Gerard Butler, Keifer Sutherland, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell... To name a few as the list is endless. If was to list them this post would be WAY TOO LONG!!

But there is the one thing in common with all of these actors portraying a Vampire - that are they playing them WELL or Not so well. Which ends up with us either loving them or hating them.

One thing I do like though about my type of Vampire is that, they have to have a REALLY GOOD background. What I mean is that, their story is worth my busy time to sit & watch or read about or daydream about.

Why is it we find vampires so interesting? Maybe because it is that with some Vampires, charisma that oozes from them or the dark, brooding eyes like, quite often shirtless Stuart Townsend In Queen of the Damned or Brad Pitt with his long flowing locks, which has you yearning for him to find peace & love. Or how about the brotherly hate and love the camaraderie between the Salvatore brothers, Stefan & Damon, and the vicious circle of love between who is dating Elena.  To the other Mikaelson Siblings of vamps that are all immaculately primped & preened. Do we like how they seduce, play and love and yes even draw blood or is it that we would love to be swooned by a vampire like Angel or Damon Salvatore or the maybe you're drawn to the less goody two shoe vamps even with the little trickle of blood covering their chin.

To end, I will say this -- that no matter what the fascination of the Vampire Lore, Vampire Books, Vampire Movies we will be biting our lips for the new bestseller books, drooling over the new hunky Guy Vamp  in the movies and keep reading more Vampire Lore, and yet still find the whole adventure a thrilling coffin ride! 

An Extensive List of Vampire Books

40 Interesting Facts About Vampires

Test your knowledge - Vampires Fun Facts Trivia

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