The rest of my trip

OK I am so not enjoying doing a blog here or there any more. Original plan was a blog for each park / day I was at, however I don't wanna! I did 3 days of Disney, 2 Universal, 3 days of Knott,1/2 day at San Diego Zoo and 1/2 day at Sea World. 1 day at the beach (which I will not go into) which was at Santa Monica Pier, and lastly a night doing the holly wood walk of fame! Linked below are all the picture on my Picassa web site.Check em out!
http://picasaweb.google.com/Keniq81/JuneVacation2010#

I don't want to bore you...

So today is day 2 of my month long diet, (possibly longer if it works out). Day one was quite good actually. I am going to be posting what I eat and how many cals I am consuming. So rather than dragging it out longer and farther on my Wonderful World of Keni, you can now get the chance to not read my cooking and weight loss story on here. I will be posting to my other blog which i have directed all too food, if you would like to know how that is going feel free to click on over and see whats going on, and what I am cooking!
http://kenisfood.blogspot.com/

Disneyland with friends

My Allie comes to California. Honestly kinds surprised she didn't stay, i feel as if she fell in love with LA mostly Santa Monica, but before we go there. Lets start with day one picking up from the airport.I sure did make a sign with glitter and everything. After I pick her, Arron (her bf) and Hailey (her sister) we head out to Pirate Dinner Adventure. Which was wicked awesome. 30 dollars apiece and with dinner and a show. OFF to Disneyland bright and early at 10 am!! lol our lazy asses get up and get moving after we hit COCO's for breakfast. day one we chose to do California Adventure, Day two Disneyland. Well I love seeing  the characters running around. Well long story short, don't  call them by the wrong name!! Mr. Incredible rolls up as we are getting lemonade. I get so excited, what do I do? yell BUZZ LIGHTYEAR!! Fists hit the counter and he storms off!! Yea, I don't recommend that!

Pictures:

New Diet

Slim Fast day 1

by kendall kole , 9:45 pm

Great another girl doing another diet! woo freakn hoo right? For me Hell yes!! I am not a huge dieter. I like food. I eat what I wanna eat and will cook what ever I wanna cook! now that I have gone on past the 200 pound mark (210-215) I knew I had to do something right? well that was 2 years ago, ill start something for maybe a week and thats about it. SO i made my self a deal, one month see how it goes. I didn't give my  self a treat if i stuck to it. I just want to see how and what I can do in one month. Heres my fat ass back story: I was depressed so what do I do? well change something quite dramatically! So I had a friend in California, Bakersfield to be exact who coaxed me into moving here. So I sold absolutely sold almost everything I own and packed my PT Bruiser and peaced out for California. While here I got I stayed the same still depressed. Something happened, I am still completely uncertain of the how and what happened. But one day I was no longer depressed, I started working more. I have no time to cook for myself! So Hello Jack and the box and McDonalds. Still not sure again with the who what and how this happened! but I went from needed 3 burgers (double cheeseburgers) to hardly getting through one! ONE!! WHODaTHUNK!! I sure didn't! Well I am now down 20 pounds, by not trying. I noticed 20 pounds looks so much better on me. Now I wanna see what will happen when I try! 

Back to Diet: Slim Fast 3.2.1 

3 Snacks

2 Slim fast meals

1 Balanced meal around 500 cal.

So day one here is what I did. 10-15 almonds, Mango Sherbet, and a small banana, 2 shakes strawberry and cream, and cappuccino delight! For my Balanced Meal? Hello Cheese burger!!!! I swear it was on their website!! So I take 1# ground beef add seasonings divide into 4 flatten and cook on skillet or grill. Fix on Whole Wheat Buns. Top with American Cheese melted of course! Side dish is 16 oz. of coleslaw sauce would be 1/2 c low fat mayo and lemon juice. Again divide into 4. Total of 450 cal, ended up yummie!!

My Amazing momma!

So during my almost 2 week long vacation, I had the please and joy of wining and dining my mother in the one place that creates the happiest memories on earth!! Need I even say the name, or are we all on the same page? Ok Ok Ok fine it was Disneyland. 50 plus years of going and she finally got to go. Talk about a kid in a candy store! Once we parked in GOOFY 4 H of course, she started to poke my arm. "Keni we in Disney, Keni Keni look" I had to inform her this is only the parking garage, there is much more to come. Barley holding on to her seat she tried to control her excitement, we climbed on to the tram taking us to the gates of Disneyland and California Adventure (a little bit more targeted for grown ups). Since I had already gotten a chance to go to CA adventure and Disneyland days before with my Best friend Allie, (post to come later) I had already knew my momma would rather go to Disneyland! However there was this one ride SOARIN over California. She had to go, I wasn't sure how she was going to handle it since she doesn't do so well with heights and IMAX make her sick. So I tell her it only goes a few feet in to the air making you feel like you are flying over the state. So we Climb into this seat, strap on, and the seat rise up well over 30 feet into the air pulling us closer to the enormous screen that stretched floor to roof, sailed us to key spots in California. It feels like we were para-sailing over California. As we went over the fields of grapes a faint smell of harvest filled my nose, same with the pine trees fresh pine sent, even as we flew over the Ca Coast where it meets the Pacific salt and sea breeze filled all around us. Ride ends MY momma still had that 12 year old smile on her face. SUPER! She wasn't sick and was wanting to do more. So we skivvy off to Disneyland! As we walk through the gates into the magical world of Disney I could see my moms eyes tear up she seen the flowers arranged to make Mickeys face. My heart was beaming with joy that I was able to give this to my mom! We walk through the tunnel onto Disney Main street, who is there? Why its lines of kids waiting to see Mary Poppins and the Chimney Sweep, Mickey, Minnie, and even Goofy. She hopes right in line to get a pic with Mary, sadly we were informed that the line had ended and they had to be off.....SAD face. We take off to ride some more lines.

First up is STAR TOURS a Star Wars inspired ride that has been up for a long time. (ride is set to go bye-bye next month) Stoked to walk past C3pO and R2D2 (spelling is possible whack), ride started and went on and as we dismounted things still were sure rocking her world! We went on several other rides including, its a small world (annoying), Indiana Jones, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and even walked though Princess Aurora's Castle. We ate lunch at the Princess Fairy Fare, and enjoyed dinner inside the Pirates ride at BLUE BYOU and share a chicken dinner in a super amazing atmosphere. I asked her if she wanted to go to toon-town, she

wasn't sure but was having as much fun as a 5-year on Christmas morning. I swear this woman made a straight line to MICKEYS house, as if she knew where he lived, we walked right thou his home looking at all of his stuff, quite amazed at how the house was built. 20 min ater after waiting in line she met mickey!! Tears building up in her eyes as they started taking pictures of us with mickey. We leave guess what she is singing?! MIC....KEY....M.O.U.S.E...... Since this was her first time she needed ears, since I took my mother to Disneyland, I sure bought her ears!! I love seeing my mother happy! And well this sure did it!! Nothing will take these memories away from me, and being able to give my mom so much joy, was worth sleeping on the floor for a week!!

In front of the princess castle

oh!! Take my picture!

And another!

This is inside the Pirates ride

Some one was so excited she didn't wanna take off her ears for bed!!

Ready to come home.

Well now that I have been away close to a year, I am ready to move home! Its been a fun ride, and i have learned and grown a lot. and along the way I have started to find myself again. Which was the main reason I needed to move, among several other reasons. The old me would have fought and won in the battles that I found myself running from. I would give details but since every one and their cousin Ernie can read this I will fore-go that one.Things at work have become well intense to say the least! there is only so many times you can watch your back to make sure its not getting stabbed. Well now I am just so tired and wiped out from all the  drama, yet again. When I move I will dearly miss two people more so than the rest. Miss Kellie who has been my Jimmnie Cricket. She has been there telling me what to do and guiding me to where I need to be. When I needed to move a mattress she sure was there for me. The other person would be my neighbor Zak, love that boy. He has been there for me when my heart was dumped on by what ever the tool of the week was. He was the one who would approve or dis-approve. lets just say he never approved. but even on my Debbie downer days..... he was who i liked to go running to he can always make me feel better.


That all said i am ready to move home. I did what i came here for, now its time to return to my beautiful Washington!!

My adventures in the kitchen!

Ok so my day starts with an itch to actually complete my itch to bake a fondont style cake.of course when i get my itches they sure don't stop there. So I decided to also make pizza from scratch. I needed to go buy supplys but only have 32 dollars to last me until Friday, when I get paid. I head down to Vons and get what I needed, and lets just say I got everything I needed and ended up with 2 dollars in my favor! Well I didn't think my yeast looked right so I made a second batch of yeast. both batched came out and smelt well yeasty! Soooo I looked up how other bread and found a  French bread recipe, and started on that as well. Now I am not only making a cake from scratch now I making two forms of bread!!  I get all of my ingredients together, and start to make the bread so far easy set aside and raise. Cake time! So  the normal person would look at the ingredients and decide that hey this is alot of mix lets get a bigger bowl. I sure didn't! So I had to transfer my batter to a pot that is bigger. Fast forward, cake pans filled, time to start on the fondont! Marshmallow bag dumped into the bowl so i drop in lil bit of water, and melt. Once its starts to melt i add  in the 3/4 of the powered sugar. Once it starts to form, time to grease up!! I sure did Crisco on the board and hands I was more greased up then a pig on a pig chase!! Kneaded the fondont until it was a ply-able play-dough like thing.    Now I work on the butter cream frosting. The fondont cake was way way delish!  lets look at the pictures....food had turned out the great!! But the cake turned out quite ugly! lol i have 3 more to make pretty!

I want to bake a cake!

Will buy and go from there.....pics and more to come soon!

Recipes:

Cake

• 
  
  2 (18 ounce) boxes white cake mix (Betty Crocker or Pillsbury)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 2/3 cups water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 cups sour cream
• 8 large egg whites
  

Directions

1. 
   

   1

   Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
2. 
   

   2

   Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. 
   

   3

   Pour into greased and floured cake pans, filling each pan a little over half full.
4. 
   

   4

   Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
5. 
   

   5

   Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cake tests done.
6. 
   

   6

   Baking time varies according to the size and depth of pans being used.
7. 
   

   7

   I used Wilton's Bake Even Strips on my cake pans to ensure a level-topped cake which required absolutely no trimming-- I highly recommend these, or good quality professional baking pans.
8. 
   

   8

   In 2" deep pans, this recipe makes:
9. 
   

   9

   One 14" round and one 6" round
10. 
    

    10

    or One 16" round
11. 
    

    11

    or One 12" round and one 10" round
12. 
    

    12

    or One 12 X 18" sheet cake
13. 
    

    13

    or One 12" round and one 8" round and one 6" round
14. 
    

    14

    or Two 9" squares.
15. 
    

    15

    or 5 dozen cupcakes.
16. 
    

    16

    Half the recipe makes:
17. 
    

    17

    Two 7" rounds
18. 
    

    18

    or Two 6" rounds and 6 cupcakes.
19. 
    

    19

    For chocolate cake: use chocolate mixes and substitute 6 whole eggs for the egg whites.
20. 
    

    20

    For liqueur flavors: substitute alcohol (such as champagne or Kahlua) for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe.
21. 
    

    21

    For berry flavors: use frozen berries, thaw reserving the juice. Substitute the berry juice for part of the water in the recipe, and stir the berries in at the end.
22. 
    

    22

    For lemon cake: substitute lemon juice for about 1 cup of the water in the recipe, use 6 whole eggs instead of the whites, stir in 1 Tblsp lemon zest, and use 1 tsp of a good lemon extract in place of the almond.
23. 
    

    23

    For white chocolate: melt 8oz white baking chocolate & cool slightly. use 6 whole eggs in the recipe instead of the whites, temper the chocolate by stirring in a small amount of the batter, then add the white chocolate to the entire batter and stir well. Doesn't bake up quite as high as the original, so add a pinch more batter to the pans.

Fondant

• 16 ounces white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 2 lbs icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)
• 1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Directions

1. 
   

   1

   Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted.
2. 
   

   2

   It usually takes about 2 ½ minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.
3. 
   

   3

   Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY - palms, backs and in between fingers, then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.
4. 
   

   4

   Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands.
5. 
   

   5

   Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more.
6. 
   

   6

   Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant is sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about ½ tablespoon at a time then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.
7. 
   

   7

   Its best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.
8. 
   

   8

   Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic- type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
9. 
   

   9

   MM Fondant will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make 2 batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant can be prepared well in advance.

Shelby's Essay about California (First Draft)

California

          A few Months before I turned eighteen, that’s all I could think about, the freedom, the responsibility, and the opportunity to go to big people jail. I couldn’t wait! When July finally rolled around, all I could talk about was how I was officially going to be an adult and how I couldn’t wait to spend it with my boyfriend. We had been together for over six months and I was twitter pated. He transformed me into someone that I thought at the time was a better person, I didn’t drink anymore, smoke pot, and I even attended church a couple times. I was so content with my life.  On July 17, he broke up with me. Nothing could fix this or make me feel better, not even my upcoming birthday…or so I thought. My cousin who was about to move to California heard through the grape vine that I was depressed and wouldn’t leave my room. She asked if I wanted to ride down to California with her and then she would fly me back into Pasco. I didn’t really have any motivation to go until my mom convinced me to go. On July 30^th we set sail for Bakersfield, California in Kendle’s PT Loser, which had no cruise control.

                Our Destination for the evening was Brookings, Oregon where we were going to stay with my Aunt Delores, Uncle Andy, and cousin, Ana and Alec. Kendle started off driving and I took over about an hour or two later and drove us into Brookings. We arrived around 10 o’clock at night with only minor direction malfunctions. The weather wasn’t so hot but when is it ever nice on the Oregon coast? We planned on staying the night and leaving early in the morning to make it to our next spot. So around 7 o’clock in the morning, we grabbed breakfast and Counterstrike at Fredmeyer and we were off. The California border is about an hour away from where they lived. Soon enough we were driving through the Redwood forest. The trees were huge! It was difficult to find someone to take a picture of both of us because the only stop along the way was full of bikers…uhh no thanks.

The whole way through the forest, there was a little river visible from the road. Since we were on no timed schedule, we decided to stop. At some points in was so wide you couldn’t fit it all into a picture and at other times, you could jump across it. The weather was beautiful, the water was warm, and the rocks were smooth, perfect conditions to walk across. I was determined to cross the river until Kendle pointed out some lovely bugs in the bottom of the river. She was nice enough to point this out when I had already made it to the other side. 

She spent about fifteen minutes trying to persuade me to come back to the other side. I was scared shitless, I hate bugs; there was no way I was going across that. She ended up throwing me my shoes and I made it back safely. Afterwards, we dried our feet, hopped back in the loser, and headed to Ukiah, California, where we were crashing for the night. I figured it would be a calm evening downloading counterstrike, watching TV, and hot tubing…until we met Justin Daily.

We arrived at our hotel, The Discovery Inn…it was a beauty. We settled in, went downtown, and ate some dinner. After dinner we decided to go have some harmless fun and sit in the hot tub for awhile. While we were in the hot tub, a group of really good looking guys walked in, sat next to us, and started talking to us. They informed us that they had a bunch of pot and booze in their room if we wanted to come over and party. They seemed like decent people so when we returned to our room, we called their room to see if they wanted to bring some beverages and come hangout. Soon after, there was a knock on our door, and when we opened it, two guys strolled right in. We had some intelligent conversation for a little while…well all of us except Justin Daily. He was super smashed and funnier than watching an Ethiopian chase a doughnut down a hill. The guy ended up leaving his underage buddy, Justin Daily behind while he went to the bar. Who knew we’d be babysitting a stranger in a foreign town? This is when we really got to know Justin. He had an amazing job, he told us about four times, and every time he told us about his awesome landscaping job, his salary raised two dollars an hour. I think he ended up making 18 dollars an hour for that company. About an hour later, he decided he was cold because he had come over with no shirt and wet swimming trunks. Being the good Samaritan that I am, I offered my green American Apparel shirt to him. A couple more hours of him dancing, singing, and telling stories goes by and he decides it is time for him to go back to him room because he needs a shower. Well we all know it isn’t a smart idea to let a drunk person walk back to their room by themselves. I walked Justin back to his door, made sure he got in safe, and headed back to our room to get some rest, or so I thought. “Knock knock knock!” Who wants to hear this at two in the morning? Not me! I slowly emerged out of bed with a couple things running through my mind. Fear took over most of it, it was probably a killer. I mean, what else could it be, right? We all know our minds don’t function properly that early. So I peeked through the curtain to see who it was, luckily it was Justin’s friend with the medical Marijuana card. He said he couldn’t find Justin anywhere. All I’m thinking is, “Great, I’m in a strange city, it’s two in the morning, I wanna continue sleeping, and now I gotta go look for a drunk guy. Awesome!” I explained to them that I walked him back to their room and he was going to go to sleep. They said he wasn’t in the room because they were just there. Mind you, they just got back from the bar, they’re not all there. So I grabbed my flip flops and walked to their room with them. They ended up finding naked Justin lying under one of the hotel beds with 86 blankets on top of him. I started to head back when the blonde white Bob Marley insisted on walking me back. We chatted on the step outside my door for quite awhile, he really wasn’t as dumb as he appeared to be. Afterwards, I climbed into my bed and crashed.

We left the motel around eight or nine the next morning never seeing Justin or medical Marijuana kid ever again. The plan for the day was to make it to San Francisco and spend awhile there and then make it to Bakersfield by dinner time. Driving into San Francisco was nothing like I pictured, it looked like Gorillas in the Mist. It was dark and foggy, I guess shorts and a tee shirt wasn’t the best idea. 

My goal for the day was to see Alcatraz so when I saw it on my way into town, I was pretty relieved. When we parked that was the first thing that we came to, I was stoked. I had completed something on my life to do list. We walked up and down the Fisherman’s Wharf for a couple hours. It was an experience to say the least. I was in culture shock due to all the talented bums on the street. The little gifts shops are always a plus in a tourist town. I carried my little backpack so I could shop and never have to carry a bag.  Kendle bought an oyster and got to pick the pearl out of it. We also saw Hooters, In and Out Burger, and the wax museum, where we saw Obama. Apparently he planned a trip to San Fran the same time we did…how unfortunate. Around lunch time we stopped at the sourdough factory, bought bread bowls, and shared our lunch with some pigeons outside. They were overly friendly. After lunch we found an old school arcade in this weird warehouse. It was full of games that you didn’t win tickets from, it was definitely different. It was the same arcade they use in the movie, The Princess Diaries. A lot of the games were things that ‘read your mind’ or little scenes that you watched. On our way out of town, we swung into China Town. We could stay long because we were expected in Bakersfield that evening.

I was kind of upset to be arriving in Bakersfield. I felt as though my trip was over. That evening, we pulled up to her roommate’s apartment not knowing what the next few days had in store for us. Her roommate started us with Crown and Coke by the pool in the amazing 80 degree weather. After about three of those bad boys, I was Michael Phelps in that swimming pool. 

I hadn’t had a sip of alcohol in almost a year thanks to my ex-boyfriend. Being the genius that I am, I was texting and swimming. If Michael Phelps can smoke a bong and be an Olympic athlete at the same time, I figured I could do something along those lines. Well, I was wrong. The next day, I had to go buy a new phone. Afterwards, we went shopping where I bought my casino dress for my birthday, which was inching closer. For the rest of that day and all of the next day, we lounged around the pool drinking fruity drinks getting a tan. We were living the dream, making friends, and not being held back my boyfriends.

August 4^th finally rolled around and I was eighteen! I woke up around noon, had a light breakfast, and decided I’d start drinking until we left for the casino around five (the casino was about two hours away). Lying around the pool with Kendle drinking Long Island Ice Teas…sounds perfect, right? Not right. After two of those babies, I was out. I felt like shit, I honestly thought I was going to pass out in the pool. Kendle noticed that I didn’t look too well so we went inside. Apparently, a cup of yogurt isn’t enough breakfast to be drinking Kendle’s drinks (she likes them strong) out in the 90 degree weather. I felt as though it would be a safe move to lay by the toilet just in case I needed to yak everywhere. Well, it turns out that my drunk assumption was correct. I threw up about four times and then passed out on the bathroom floor, right next to the toilet. When I woke up, there was a pillow under me and a blanket over me; I must have been cold wearing just a bikini. I felt a lot better so I stood up and attempted to walk into the living room. Kendle was watching TV when I walked out. She claimed that it was 7:30 and that I had been asleep the whole time. I couldn’t believe it, I slept my birthday away. I was crushed, and on top of it, my mom thought I had died because I wasn’t returning her calls. Luckily, Kendle texted her back to assure her that I was not dead, just really drunk.

Kendle informed me that since I decided to take a power nap next to the superbowl, we were going to the bar/restaurant for Taco Tuesday’s instead of the casino. I was down; at least it gave me a place to wear my casino dress. We got to this place and the music was so loud, it felt like a semi truck and a train collided in my head. As if I didn’t have enough of a headache as it is, let’s add a jackhammer. At nine o’clock, the restaurant turned into a bar, and they didn’t kick me out for some reason. I wasn’t too concerned about it because I was so sick. I sat in my corner eating lettuce and downing ice water in fear of vomiting all over this place. Around 11:30pm everyone figured they were trashed enough and we could go now. Sitting outside contemplating what to do next, Jessica blurts out that we should go to the strip club because I have thirty minutes left of my birthday and I get in for free. I was against it but I figured I wouldn’t win if I tried so I just went with it. I mean, how bad could it be? I was more nervous than a whore at church, I had never dreamed of going to a place like that. Our group of around ten settles in right in front of the stage. It was a Tuesday night so it’s not like it was bumpin’ in there. The only people there were the weekday creepers. Girls kept walking up asking if I needed a dance. I would said no, but I was thinking, “Are you high? Why would I need a dance? I don’t even want one, let alone need.” About fifteen minutes of awkwardness passes and I figure we’re going to leave soon. I mean either that or they’re going to announce that it’s my birthday and pull me on stage. Someone was against me that day because I was pulled on stage where I had to sit in a chair. I was shaking in my boots, I didn’t know what to expect. I definitely didn’t want dollar dances from all the girls, but I guess we don’t always get our way. I had to sit on stage in front of all the weekday creepers and get danced on my baby powder infested women. I then had to stand up and ‘dance.’ This consisted of spinning on the pole, which actually moves, while the creeps threw me money on stage.  After that was over, we left the strip club, and I left with exactly eighteen dollars.

Approaching four in the morning, I felt it was time to start packing to come home. My flight left at 5:45 that morning so we got home just in time. Kendle and I grabbed breakfast at Denny’s and before I knew it, I was Washington bound, where I was going to need about a week to recover from my California festivities.