Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge

CWWPC (Cee’s Photography)

I took the featured picture on our road trip last week right before the storm got really bad. Sorry it’s a little blurry, but I was driving. I wanted to get the pretty rainbow before it disappeared.

Despite the crazy rain and flooding, we had a great time in LA. On Friday, we stayed with some friends and played games all night. I was the Disney Scene It Champion, I faired pretty well in Apples to Apples, and after I warmed up, I kicked butt in the old game Dr. Mario. We got to bed a little later than we wanted to since we had the Cookie Con the next day, but it had been awhile since we’d seen our friends in a long time and I was having too much fun.

We got up early to get ready. I watched the news to check on traffic to the Convention Center and saw the aftermath from the crazy storm. We were lucky that we drove down as early as we did because there was a mudslide shortly after I took the above picture on the Tejon Pass that closed the Interstate down. Luckily, there were no hazards between where we were staying and the Convention Center. It was weird to drive out and see that the flood waters for the most part had receded. We were thankful though because it was cookie time. We got there early to check in and get in line. Unfortunately, the cookie con was not organized well, vendors weren’t told that VIP ticket holder got in an hour early, and so the opening of the Cookie Con was delayed. When we were finally let in almost 45 minutes late, many of the vendors were still setting up. We began our rounds of tasting samples, (Cookie Jam – delicious…look for it on shelves soon, Got Milk and bacon donut holes, and cookie shot cups you could fill with different flavored milks)

checking competition pieces (edible art and superhero theme cake),

trying new products (it’s a cookie printer),

look at the pretty products

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and watching classes/demonstrations.

There was more, but overall the Cookie Con was underwhelming.  There were a lot more product vendors, many of them not baking related (i.e. the nail polish design ladies or the at least 3 different electronic massage guys all selling the same kind of product in different wrapping and slightly different pricing).  I kind of thought it would be like the scrapbook conventions I’ve been to where each vendor either had something to try or make.  More interactive.  We got through the whole Cookie Con in a few hours.  We stuck around only to see Duff Goldman make cookies and then left.  

We didn’t come back for the second day even though we’d already paid for it.  Not sure I would go again unless they got their S**T together, got more baking vendors, and more interactive things to do.

Share Your World – Week 7

Share Your World (Cee’s Photography)

Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?

We don’t use a top sheet. I don’t like the feeling of tucked in sheets. I feel trapped in my bed and I can’t sleep well. I used to always have a top sheet that I would tuck in when I made my bed in the morning and untuck at night, but I finally decided years ago, why go through the trouble and expense of buying and washing them when I didn’t really use them.

Have you stolen a street sign before?

Nope, though I have thought about it a time or two when I have seen fallen signs on the roadway.

Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?

I used to always cut coupons on Sundays and put them in an organizer and even take the organizer to the grocery store, but the majority of the time, I forgot to get them out or would find a better deal. I eventually stopped cutting coupons. I see all those shows and reports on those “couponing” women and how much they save and think about getting back to it, but I never do.

Do you have freckles?

Nope. Though I remember wishing I did when I was a kid. I had a friend who had them and she was always so happy and I thought her freckles had something to do with it for some reason.

Optional Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful for that high you get from exercise. I completed my goal of 5 walks for the week and I got through 1 pilates workout. I am super tired starting this week, but I’m trying not to let it stop me.

I am looking forward to our road trip this weekend. My husband and I are going to attend the Cookie Convention this weekend in LA. I can’t wait to taste all the goodies, see all the creativity, and just have fun. Just get away for awhile. I’m also hoping to take lots of pictures for my scrapbook and to use for photo challenges.

 

The Quest to see the Christmas Lights

Last year, I decided to go on a quest to find and see all the best Christmas lights my city had to offer.  I had heard there were quite a few fabulous displays out there and thank goodness for the internet because I was able to map out a route to take to see the ones closest to our neighborhood.  My husband only agreed to drive and come see them with me if they were close by and as luck would have it, the majority of them were.

We found some really great ones.  The house above had a ton of lights and even offered a Santa to line up for.  All the proceeds went to the “Make a Wish” foundation.  This next picture wasn’t actually on our list of houses to visit.  We found it when we got lost trying to find another house, but I loved that it had the lamp from “A Christmas Story”, one of my favorite movies, so I made my husband stop.  Then we found this cute little house where all the decorations were Disney.  I’m a sucker for Disney so this one was a must.  Such a cute display.  The last one that I will feature is of a house that plays music with it’s lights.  Every night during the Christmas season, there are a line of cars driving by or parking to take pictures.  The light displays were never this elaborate when I was a kid or at least I don’t remember any like it.  I was amazed at each house with the creativity each owner put into their displays.  I guess this year I will have to convince my husband to drive a little further and go check out a different nearby city.