#17 Make A Trip to Vegas

If you would have told me 9 years ago that I would enjoy going to Vegas, I would have said that you were crazy!  The smoke, the heat, the crazy drunks how would I of all people like this?  Fast-forward and I find myself craving trips to Vegas.  I love going dancing and that is pretty hard to do in the Valley.  Plus go with the right group of friends and Vegas is totally fun!  When making my list I had to make sure that I made one more trip to Vegas before the big 3-0!

In November we booked rooms at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.  This hotel is insane!  I love the vibe of the hotel and have always wanted to stay there.  The problem was that rooms go for anywhere from 250 – 600 a night!  So it took an act of God, and Cyber Monday for me to afford a room there!  On Cyber Monday the Cosmopolitan released a limited number of rooms for only $500 for the whole weekend!  And these weren’t any rooms; they were the wrap-around terrace suites that are about 1200 square feet!  Not only did we get the room for only $500 we also got a $500 resort credit that we could use on food and drinks!  This was going to be the cheapest trip to Vegas ever!

The room was amazing!  And the view was even better!  We arrived Friday around 5, checked in and grabbed a slice of pizza at the secret pizzeria.  Then it was up to our rooms for a quick change and out for the night!  We made our way downstairs to the Popup Chapel where Kevin and Alison and Kevin’s parents renewed their vows in a super cute and funny ceremony.  Then we made our way to Bond (a bar in Cosmo).  It was fun just to hang out have some drinks (which were free because of our credit) and laugh!  We made it back to the room around midnight, ordered some free room service, and then passed out!

 

Saturday we had breakfast and then made our way down to the casino for a little gambling.  I’m not much of a gambler; in fact I find it a huge waste of money.  But I thought since everyone was hanging out I would play a couple of dollars and then find something else to do.  I don’t pick games like other people.  I find the game with the stupidest name and then play that.  I wanted to play Kitty Glitter but it was full so I settled on Triple Butterfly Seven.  I didn’t know how to play and I accidentally hit the “Max Bet” button.  I thought to myself that I just wasted all the money I was going to play with on one round, but then the machine started to make a lot of noise and started giving me money!  And it just kept going!!  I ended up cashing out at $199.75!!  It was pretty amazing!

 

The trip ended with a nice dinner, cosmos at the Chandlier bar and a trip to Pure for dancing!  The club was crazy big and it was nice that we didn’t have to wait in the really long line because someone in our group knew someone who worked there!  We danced for several hours before we decided to leave.  On the way out of the hotel I also got to see a friend that happened to be in Vegas for the weekend too!  I didn’t think we would be able to see each other but it was really nice to run into each other…even if it was only for a minute before both our groups of friends wanted to leave. 

It really was a great weekend with some of the best people I know! 

#23 Visit to the Griffith Observatory

The more I thought about this list, the more I found it strange that this item never happened before.  I love space.  In fact I’m kind of obsessed with it.  I make sure that I get to go on the 6^th grade honor society trip to Astrocamp ever year so I can use the telescopes and look at the stars and planets.  As a young adult my favorite movies were Apollo 13 and October Sky.  When I was little I wanted to work for NASA, specifically working at Mission Control.  And on a clear night my eyes are on the sky secretly wishing that I could one day visit!  So how come I have never been to the Griffith Observatory?  I used this past President’s Day weekend to fix this problem.

First human footprint found and "one small step" on the moon

Alison, Kevin and I made our way to the Observatory Saturday night.  It was a special night at the Observatory; they were having a Public Star Party, where there would be the LA Astronomical Society and the LA Sidewalk Astronomers that the public could talk to and use their equipment.  Because it was a special night it was extremely crowded.  So we parked along the side of the road and started our hike up.  It was such a beautiful, clear night and the hike was really fun.  I can’t believe the views of both the city and the sky.  I also didn’t realize how big the Observatory was.  Inside there was so much to see and experience.  Its pretty crazy to think about how long the Earth has been in existence and how our time here is really just a blip.

The one thing I didn’t get to do that I will HAVE to go back for is the Planetarium show.  It was just too crowded to see the show.  But I will go back.  To end the evening we made our way down to the Grove for some dinner and shopping.  It really was a perfect LA night!   

#8 Help with a Good Cause

This blog post is should have been written two months ago as the item was completed in December.  My mom raised us that no matter how little we have we always have something to help others less fortunate then ourselves.  This past December I helped out with two causes, one that is very near to my heart.

The first cause I helped with is one that is a school community project called the Green Bag Project.  For the past four years Stelle has put together care packages for the homeless.  This year being the Leadership teacher I decided to make it the best Green Bag Project EVER!!  The week started with an AMAZING assembly that our fabulous Drama teacher helped put together.  It had puppets, audience participation, and a great message.  Through out the week we gathered hundreds of bags and were able to brighten the New Year for the homeless in LA.   

The second cause I helped with is very dear to my heart.  Six years ago I met the most amazing kid!  It was my first year at A.C. Stelle and I was teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade social studies.  During the 1st semester I had one 6th grader missing...he was fighting cancer.  He ended up coming to school 2nd semester and in those few months I changed.  I started to see how fragile the world was and how I shouldn't take any day for granted.  Kevin showed me that.  I was lucky enough to get to be Kevin's 7th grade teacher as well.  2nd semester of Kevin's 7th grade year his cancer came back and he has been fighting ever since.  Kevin's been able to keep fighting thanks to the amazing program at St. Jude's.  For the past 6 years I have been making donations to St. Jude's to help Kevin and other children like him.  But over the past 6 years I have also been fighting pink slips at school, so I haven't been able to donate as much as I would like to.  I'm finally in a place that I feel safe with my job and I received a letter from St. Jude's saying that any donation during the month of December would be matched.  I made a large donation for Kevin.  For the little boy I met 6 years ago who shows me everyday what real courage is.  Courage. Strength. Believe.

Kevin, Yosemite 2010

  

#15 Learn to Cook/Bake Something New

Let's face it...I am a horrible cook!  Most likely because I don't really eat anything so I have no idea how it is suppose to turn out.  And when it comes to baking I have a few tricks up my sleeves but nothing that impressive.  Everything that I do know how to cook and bake are family recipes like Grandma's mac 'n cheese and of course our holiday candy that we are required to make every year (seriously, I think my friends would hurt me if I didn't make the candy one year).  So I decided that when I completed item #15 I wanted it to be something that was a family recipe and tradition.

Christmas is my favorite time of year because of the traditions both old and new.  One of my traditions is putting White Christmas on and watching it while mom bakes our famous Orange Cookies (and by famous I mean "everyone should know about them and love them but only our family does!").  I usually go in every now and then to help but I have never sat down and made them from start to finish with mom.  This year was going to be different, little did I know that I wasn't going to help mom but instead she was making me make them all by myself!

Our famous Orange Cookie recipe has been passed down from generation to generation for awhile now.  Mom thinks that the recipe is over 100 years old.  But let me clarify something here, when I say recipe what I mean is a list of ingredients.  That is all.  And even the ingredients are iffy. 4-5 cups of flour (mom says it depends on the amount of juice you get from the orange).  Or my favorite for the icing...powder sugar.  That's it nothing else.  Mom says you just know! Who would have guest that my most adventurous post would be "Bake Something."   

I learned that making these cookies is an art and the more I make them the more I will be able to "just know" like mom!  They turned out great and even taste like they are suppose to!  I guess the real test will be on Boxing Day when the fam eats them!

PS~ Quick word of advice...when going to use an electric mixer make sure it isn't on too high!  I learned this the hard way!

#11 Grow Something

There is a comedian that my sister and I like to quote.  I can't remember his name but part of his act is mentioning that he once had a cactus but he killed it, "The desert is officially more nurturing than I am."  My sister and I laugh because no matter how we try we can't keep plants alive!  My mom has an amazing garden so who knows what happened to Kelly and I!

I decided that I was going to conquer my un-green thumb by making one of the items on my list to grow something.  I got some daisy seeds (my favorite flower) a pot, and some soil and set my mind to making this thing grow!  I mean how hard could it be...it wants to be alive right??  WRONG!!  Things started off so well.  One little sprout lead to two and before I knew it I had 6 stems growing!  But as quickly as they popped out of the soil they started to take a turn for the worst.  And before I knew it my hopes and dreams of growing something were completely dead. 

But the goal of this item was to grow something!  And I like to think of myself as an optimist!  I DID grow something!  The item wasn't to grow something and keep it alive!  So technically I succeeded!  Much like when in college and I had to pass intermediate Spanish to graduate!  All I need was a D- and I pulled off a C.  My dad was kind of appalled at a C grade but when all you need is a D- and you get a C you kind of succeed with flying colors!!!!! 

So mark #11 off the list!!  One step closer to completing my 30 before 30!!

The beginning of the end...

#2 Make something from Pinterest

I wasn't born with the crafting gene.  I think it went to everyone in my family but me.  I always have great ideas but never can execute them.  So I really like Pinterest especially when it gives a step by step guide on how to make things.

This month my leadership class is throwing a 6th grade Halloween dance.  I have been collecting ideas via Pinterest since June of things that I could "make" as decorations.  I never told the kids my ideas because I was so afraid that I wasn't going to be able to master them enough that I could teach the kids to make them in mass.  But I found a great craft that was really simple to make but also really fun to make!  The kids and I made puffy paint ghost.  First you draw a ghost on a brown paper bag and then make the eyes and mouth using construction paper.  Next we made the puffy paint using shaving cream and glue.  I can't tell you how much fun the kids had!  It was so messy and squishy.  The kids had fun playing with it before putting it into ghost form.  Once we washed our hands we placed the eyes and mouth onto the ghost and let it dry over night before we cut it out.  The results were really cute and it was fun to see each of the student's personality in their ghost.

The supplies

Ready to mix together

The final project

Since the ghost came out so cool so we let Pinterest inspire us for some of the other decorations!  The kids had a lot of fun making everything and I think it turned out really cute!

Grave yard

Poor guy

By far my favorite!!

All ready for kids!!

We had a great turn out and I think all the students had a great time at the dance! 

PS- This post marks my 15 item completed!!  I'm making progress and really enjoying all the things I have done so far.  I'm really excited about completing the list before my birthday! :)

#14 Build Something

As a kid I loved making things from Legos and blocks.  There is something rewarding in taking little pieces and making something from them.  When I started this blog I wanted to make sure that I would be able to make something new.

Recently my friends, Alison and Kevin, bought a side bar that was going to have to be built.  Kevin recently started grad school so it was going to be a while before he was going to be able to put it together.  I thought this would be the perfect time for me to complete #14 on my list.  So one night after we got home from Kevin's football game, Alison and I set out to accomplish this task.  It took a bit of time but I am really proud of Alison and I for making this awesome wine rack/bar!!

Yevin checking our work :)

The finish product