Monday, July 9, 2012

Random

Ravioli...being Ravioli


Look what my mom and I made!! I made a few more, let me take pictures and show you where I got the idea tomorrow! Popsicle stick Christmas Trees!

Oh, I either dislocated my pinkie toe or broke it...all I know is that I was walking down the stairs and missed a step and heard a loud crack. 

not sure if it should bend that way.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

I think you should listen to:

new song that I have heard recently that I think you should listen to:

Imagined Dragons
"It's Time"

Tuesday, June 19, 2012


A perfect child completely changed my life last Wednesday. After I got home from the memorial service I fell asleep and woke up new.
It has taken me a few days to fully grasp what all happened but I am here and it feels wonderful.
I have taken initiative to seek my friends and go out with them, to read the word, to read Christian books, to stop watching the gossip TV (reality) and the awful movies, and to just immerse myself in God and in his love.  
I don’t cuss but I am watching myself more closely. Matt and I went to church this past Sunday and one of the pastors spoke about Obedience.  1 Kings 11-13 really talks about this… passage stood in front of me

1 Kings 11 38: “If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you.”

I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU.

After work I went to Barnes and Noble and grabbed a compact bible so I could carry one in my purse at all times and these two books

“Soul Detox” by Craig Groeschel
As standards of conduct continue to erode in our shock-proof world, we must fight the soul pollution threatening our health, our faith, and our witness to others. Without even knowing it, people willingly inhale second-hand toxins poisoning their relationship with God and stunting their spiritual growth. Soul Detox examines the toxins that assault us daily including: toxic influences, toxic emotions, and toxic behaviors. By examining the toxins that assault us daily, this book offers the ultimate spiritual intervention with ways to remain clean, pure, and focused on the standard of God's holiness.

And “7, an experimental mutiny against excess” by Jen Hatmaker.
American life can be excessive, to say the least. That’s what Jen Hatmaker had to admit after taking in hurricane victims who commented on the extravagance of her family’s upper middle class home. She once considered herself unmotivated by the lure of prosperity, but upon being called “rich” by an undeniably poor child, evidence to the contrary mounted, and a social experiment turned spiritual was born.

7 is the true story of how Jen (along with her husband and her children to varying degrees) took seven months, identified seven areas of excess, and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence.

Food. Clothes. Spending. Media. Possessions. Waste. Stress. They would spend thirty days on each topic, boiling it down to the number seven. Only eat seven foods, wear seven articles of clothing, and spend money in seven places. Eliminate use of seven media types, give away seven things each day for one month, adopt seven green habits, and observe “seven sacred pauses.” So, what’s the payoff from living a deeply reduced life? It’s the discovery of a greatly increased God—a call toward Christ-like simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better existence.
from amazon


I have dealt with a lot of gossip and unkindness and once again I am working on both. I have been working on them since January but they are back in full force.

“It doesn’t really matter how many times you memorize the bible verses, go to church or bible study….if you are not sharing them kindness, you don’t love me.”

GIVE YOURSELF
HOLD FAST TO YOUR FAITH ONE DAY AT A TIME. 

funny for the day....

found on facebook

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

I am on twitter!!! @akhestilow

also updated book quotes page, summer 2012 reading!



Monday, June 11, 2012

Sorry I am not posting, I am having a rough time with my stomach. I can't figure out what is causing the constant upset stomachs.....we thought we had an answer but a preliminary test came back normal but was told that it is only preliminary....

I am on a gluten free diet for a month...which isn't bad but....

soda
crystal light packets
air heads
sugar drinks that aren't 100% natural

are seriously upsetting my stomach.


I really just want to be at an amusement park too...particularly Orlando's ....I could really go for a butterbeer right now.....

Tuesday, June 5, 2012


I feel like I am in a funk. My husband is gone for two weeks. My classes started a whole month earlier (why – well professor just decided to ) and there is no vacation in sight.

My mom is staying with me and helping me getting the house decorated and letting me do homework so that is a wonderful plus...Staying POSITIVE!

I have never really liked summer…so I must say….is it over with? Lol POSITIVE??? FALL comes after summer which is my favorite season!

Let’s all hope I get out of this funk a.s.a.p. It is no fun. Let's CURE THAT! - Let me think of what to do? Oh! I have a wonderful husband, wonderful pugs, wonderful family and friends and job, and I am alive! I think I need to curl up with a new book :)

I will leave everyone with a picture. This is of Gabby – she was stung by a bee or wasp or something on Friday and her face began to swell Friday and even more so on Saturday. I took her to the vet for a steroid shot and advice on Benadryl  

Monday, June 4, 2012

Random

This picture of Rupert made me have a dream about him and that he liked me...lol...that is a nice picture!


Source






I have been loving this song...finally downloaded it from Amazon to my new android phone.It is flat out amazing. I wish I could sing. 



Breath of Life
Florence + the Machine
Great Song from Snow White and the Huntsman Soundtrack



Matt and I went and saw Snow White and the Huntsman and I had to go home and download the cd. The movie was great, Kristen Stewart was better than I expected; although she does have a lot of awkward faces, lol, but don't we all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is entertaining! I really wish she kissed her "true love" in the end...I really don't like romantic movies...but just one more kiss would be nice :) 






Friday, June 1, 2012


"Harry Potter’s like Santa Claus. Something 

you can’t see but wish was real so badly that 

you end up believing in it."

-Emma Watson


and every major Harry Potter fan.




oh i was so stupid for being against HP for so long. lol. 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Still Missing


Still Missing
By Chevy Stevens


Like I said earlier with the other books I review - I don't do much of a review - I don't want to spoil it and you can go to Amazon for a better one.

Still missing is about Annie who is kidnapped in plain sight and taken to live in a cabin with a true psychopath. I can't describe this guy it makes me so uncomfortable. He has this hidden rage that can pop out of nowhere. It is really scary. The first half of the book is about her journey in this cabin and how she is able to escape.

Once I was past the 1st half of the book I wasn't so disturbed. This book would be a wonderful lifetime movie. I feel like I have already seen this movie with all the twists and turns! It is an interesting and fast read but can be pretty disturbing.

I finally started Lord Of The Rings. Let's just say this trilogy will take me the whole summer to read. Is it necessary to be that descriptive? Lol!

I also recently finished Wither, A Million Suns, and re read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I am now onto the Order of the Phoenix and will be spending some time trying to get further into LOTR. I like the book but darn it is descriptive!

I spent this weekend cleaning a lot and decluttering.

and watching Presley sleep

and building R2D2 

and watching Gabby sleep :)



Technology has not been the best today. I can't get any of my pictures to send to my email, can't get IHeartRadio to operate or Pandora. Thank you for AmazonMP3…I will be listening to film scores all day. It's only 8:53…am….lets have this day move by fast, ready to see my pugs and husband.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012


I have been thinking a lot lately. Which is nothing new. Let's see if i can get my thoughts written down...if it seems to not make sense I greatly apologize.

I am not a fan of 50 Shades of Grey. I don't want to read it and it doesn't interest me. It is porn. I don't care what you say. A friend has the book and I read a page in it and it was so incredibly graphic and just gross. How can you call that a novel? I guess you can because it is one... but still. I have been told and told by friends and media and the world to read this book.

Lay off! I enjoy teenage books where the most they do is make out. I enjoy not reading about sex graphically. I enjoy books about trying to save the world. I enjoy clean books where they make up they own cuss words (Frex).  I enjoy books where Aliens take over the world or where hobbits try to get rid of a ring.

This book is gross and I am not a fan. Lay. Off.

This is how it has been for movies lately....We were going to see the Dictator but then I just felt gross and ashamed a bit...I want to see a good movie, I want to see a movie that doesn't make me feel like crap.

I am not saying that if you read these books or watch these movies you are awful, but it does not make me feel good. I like to feel good.

I am about halfway through Courageous...absolutely love it so far!

sigh. back to my pg rated books

Tuesday, May 22, 2012


I officially started day 1 of high fiber diet and the cereal I am eating SUCKS. All fiber cereal sucks. I am going to choke this stuff down because it is 51% of my daily fiber that I need. Bam - 13 grams done!

I also got some Fiber Plus bars and thankfully these are actually tasty….bam! 35% of my daily fiber - 9 grams!

22 grams and it's not even lunch yet! 

How much should you be consuming??

The Institute of Medicine recommends that children and adults consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories of food they eat each day.

That means a person who eats 2,500 calories each day should get at least 35 grams of fiber daily, while a person who eats 1,700 calories each day needs somewhat less fiber—about 24 grams. A toddler who eats only 1,300 calories each day needs about 18 grams of fiber. source


Apparently we only consume about 14 grams a day regardless of how many calories we take in. Sheesh. I am SO guilty of that. My doc told me I needed to start this high fiber diet and so I will. I was also told that I needed to take Prilosec OTC every day. I started that today and thankfully the pill is itty bitty…win!


The 10 foods highest in fiber


#1: Bran (Corn, Wheat, Rice, Oat)
Bran is high in fiber and is the top source of both vitamin b6 andmagnesium. Bran can most commonly be found in whole grain breads and is also a great addition to high fiber hot breakfast cereals like oats,rye, and buckwheat. Crude corn bran provides the most dietary fiber of any food with 85.6g (290% DV) per 100 gram serving, or 60g (240% DV) per cup, and 3.75g (15% DV) per tablespoon. Rice and Wheat bran provide 25g (99% DV) of fiber per cup, 1.6g (6.2% DV) per tablespoon. Oat bran provides 14.5g (58% DV) per cup, 0.9g (3.6 DV) per tablespoon.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#2: Dried Herbs, Spices, and Peppers
Dried herbs and spices are packed with the vitamins and minerals you need. Start making it a habit to add more dry herbs, paprika, or chili powder (depending on preference) to all the dishes you eat. Ground cinnamon contains the most fiber providing 53.1g (212% DV) per 100 gram serving, or 4.2g (17% DV) per tablespoon. Cinnamon is followed by ground savory, dried oregano, rosemary, corriander, basil, marjoram, sage, fennel, caraway, paprika, thyme, chili powder, cloves, cayenne pepper, and finally, black pepper which provides 26.5g (106% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, 1.6g (6% DV) per tablespoon. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#3: Cocoa Powder and Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is showing more and more health benefits and dark chocolate is coming into vogue. A good source of iron and potassium, cocao powder provides 33.2g (133% DV) of fiber per 100g serving, 28.6g (114% DV) per cup, 1.7g (7% DV) per tablespoon. Dark baking chocolate will provide 16.6g (66% DV) per 100g serving, or 4.8g (19% DV) per square. Milk chocolates do not provide enough fiber to be worth the cost of calories and should be avoided! Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#4: Flax Seeds, Sesame Seeds, and Sesame Butter (Tahini)
Flax and Sesame seeds are a great source of heart healthy oils and dietary fiber. Flax seeds provide 27.3g (109% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, 2.7g (11% DV) per tablespoon. Toasted sesame seeds provide 14g (56% DV) per 100 gram serving, 3.9g (16% DV) per ounce. Sesame butter (tahini) provides 9.3g (37% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, 1.4g (6% DV) per tablespoon.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#5: Dry Roasted Soybeans (Edamame)
Dry roasted soybeans make a great snack. Look for low sodium varieties to keep your blood pressure low. Dry roasted soybeans provide 17.7g (71% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, or 30.4g (122% DV) per cup, and 1.9g (10% DV) per tablespoon. When boiled, edamame provides 5.2g (21% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, or 8.1g (32% DV) per cup. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#6: Sun-dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are a high iron and potassium food. They are great in sauce, on pizza, or even in salads. 100 grams of sun-dried tomatoes provides 12.3g (49% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, or 6.6g (26% DV) per cup, and 0.02g (1% DV) per piece.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#7: Nuts (Almonds, Pistachios, Pecans)
Nuts are great as a snack or as an addition to salads. Almonds provide the most fiber with 12.2g (49% DV) per 100 gram serving, that is 17.4g (70% DV) per cup of whole almonds, or 3.4g (14% DV) per ounce (~23 pieces). Almonds are followed by pistachios, hazelnuts, and finally pecans which provide 9.5g (38% DV) per cup, and 2.7g (11% DV) per ounce (~19 halves). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#8: Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are great as a snack or as an addition to salads, they are also a great source of vitamin Eironvitamin B1 (thiamin)B6,proteinmagnesiummanganeseseleniumpotassium, and copper. Sunflower seeds provide 10.6g (42% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, that is 14.3g (57% DV) per cup, and 3g (12% DV) per ounce. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#9: Beans (Navy, White, French, Kidney)
Boiled mature beans provide a great deal of fiber. Navy beans provide the most with 10.5g (42% DV) per 100 gram serving, or 19.1g (76% DV) per cup. Navy beans are followed by white beans, yellow beans, french (green) beans, and finally kidney beans which provide 38.7g (13% DV) of fiber per cup. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#10: Passion Fruit (Granadilla)
Passion fruits (aka: Granadillas) are tropical fruits that are becoming more and more popular. Passion fruits are also a great source of fiber providing 10.4g (42% DV) of fiber per 100 gram serving, 24.5g (98% DV) per cup, and 1.9g (8% DV) per fruit.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

Monday, May 21, 2012

I kept this issue kinda quiet so don't be offended if you didn't know. I don't like to air my problems to everyone because a lot of people just don't care. BUT, this is my blog and I'll tell you all about it!

I had been having a lot of upset stomachs lately. I have been getting them a few times a day. I finally had enough and schedule an appointment with a GI doctor. Well, he was fabulous! He scheduled an endoscopy procedure to rule out any bacteria and hiatus hernias that may be contributing to my upset stomachs. 

I was kinda excited about this. I have never had anything done. ever. I really love being taken care of and they always take wonderful care of you when you are doing something like this.
I know. I'm messed up.



The time came and Matt drove me up to the clinic. I got all ready and they wheeled me away. The nurse told me he was going to spray me with this numbing spray. It was absolutely atrocious. They also had this music going on in the room lol. I was then told to go on my side and they were going to put the medicine to knock me out. I remember the burning and the room swirling a teeny bit. I say it worked in less than 10 seconds. 

Apparently I woke up and was able to choose apple juice out of a line up of drinks to drink. Matt came and  helped me to get dressed...I remember nothing.

I also told him I was upset because they didn't ask me to countdown. Seriously. I went on about it too. The nurse also was talking to me and I couldn't comprehend what she was saying. I'm pretty sure I asked her to repeat it and then asked Matt to seriously remember. 

The doc came in and I barely remember anything. I know that I really wanted to wear the socks...so I have hospital socks with me. 

I had to be wheeled out I was that "messed up" lol. 

Matt got me some type of ice cream thing from Sonic...and when we got home I passed out. 

That medicine was wonderful.

Thank you to those wonderful nurses who were incredibly nice. 
Thanks to my wonderful Doctor who is awesome
Thank you to my wonderful husband who was with me the whole time :) and helped me so much!
Thanks to my friends and family who checked up on me!



So above are 4 issues that I have. They all help in giving me the upset stomachs that I get multiple times a day. We got a biopsy on everything to rule out cancer and confirm what he saw. After we get the results I am going back in to determine a solution to this. As for right now, I need to take Prilosec OTC


I also have a Hiatus Hernia..yuck...luckily the rest of my esophagus was a ok.

I was so out of it, I heard him talk about Celiac Disease but he wasn't too sure. I'll find out June 11th or whatever when I go see him again. 


oh yeah. i got a new phone! Galaxy Note! It is awesome...and massive!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Here is one of out guestrooms...we just have a bed for right now...no big deal. I love the comforter! It is Ralph Lauren and was supposed to be $400 but we got it for $70.00!

This is the other guest room. We got this furniture for free. Someone got divorced and didn't want any of their furniture

Matt and I were at the mall this past weekend when we decided to check out the new Lego store. I had a lot of lego's when I was younger but they weren't my favorite...We saw that they had Harry Potter lego's and soon learned that the license is running out so these will all be discontinued soon....so we jumped on the opportunity and got a set...Diagon Alley! This was going to be perfect for our Harry Potter bedroom!



Diagon Alley



Borgin and Burkes



Ollivanders


Gringott's Bank

This took us about 5-6 hours and we absolutely loved it! We both wish we were messing around with more Lego's! Can't wait to get the next!

Next Post: My Endoscopy Procedure and results!



Thursday, May 17, 2012


I was able to hang out with my two best friends from high school...We always have to bring back wonderful memories from high school. This time it was pictures of us together...unfortunately there were pictures of us kissing boys and cuddling with them back from 8th grade. Those pictures will not be shown and names will not be revealed....lol! I do have a few pictures to show. Hunter - you look great in all of the ones I am about to show...I can X out your face if you want me too :) As for Stephanie - I have to show this one picture - I love the overalls. I love those girls!

Realizations: Terrible Two's are for real...lol I love you, Keridon! She wasn't terrible at all...I love that girl!! OH, and gas medicine is the best thing in the world....for babies...lol

You can't see it, she was covered in spaghetti sauce...love her!


In Hunter's bedroom...look at those tan legs! 
I am wearing puka shells...remember when those were cool?

overalls!

attractive



This was my closet back in the day....Hunter is grabbing the Ouji board...but I noticed another thing...an Ask Zandar game....I totally forgot about this!!!
Here is the commercial for it! 




in other news....
A year ago I took a Divergent quiz and the results were amity....

I took it again and got Erudite....guess I should not be happy with this result hahah