Day 1209: They're Dates!

Did I spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to make the above picture super artsy? Yes.

But that's what you do when you're reminded of Indiana Jones and just can't contain your excitement. This year for the 4-H Food's Review my brother decided on a Moroccan theme, which I really didn't know about until we got there. I knew he was making a banana bread pudding, but that was about as far as I got until I was standing in front of the table helping him set everything up.

And as I soon found out, the whole Moroccan idea was pretty awesome. As you can see below, it ended up being very...colorful...but all in all it turned out really great! And the banana bread pudding (a Disney recipe) was delicious too!Have a magical

The first picture was of his centerpiece though, and it right away brought me back to a classic Indiana Jones scene involving dates. I'd never actually tried dates, which, you know, probably has something to do with "bad dates," or the fact that I've just never had a chance to try them, but I'm happy to say that I really liked them (my allergies did not...but that's beside the point). However, I did probably say "They're dates! Ya eat 'em!" about 20 times in a matter of three hours, which is probably concerning to some. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 570: Excitement Level Zero

The fair has once again come to town, but this year it's a bit different for all of us.

First off, I'm no longer in 4-H, which means that I didn't have any projects to do. In fact I was hardly at the fair at all this year, which was great. I've never really been a huge fan of the fair, and that's something my friends could never really understand. At least, until now. 

As you may know (or may not since I haven't actually written those blog posts yet), I recently got back from a trip to Walt Disney World with two of my best friends. Three days is a bit difficult to fit much of the world in, but we did alright (although that's certainly a blog post for a different day...like one from a really long time ago). 

But when we were discussing the fair, my one friend commented on the fact that it just wasn't the same after she went to Disney. And I instantly couldn't help but laugh. I've been saying this literally for years. It's the reason I'm not a huge fair fan and won't spend all that money to go on all the rides. Why should I do that when I'm lucky enough to go to Disney and experience the real thing. 

Granted, Megan and I figured out this year that the fair is totally a city type of thing. If you live in town, then you go to the fair just about every day. It's hard not to when you can hear the music and noise from miles away (often times even out at our house). But when you live in the country as we do, there's just not much appeal in having to drive in to the fair and pay for parking (even if I don't have to since my brother is still in 4-H and we have a pass). 

The truth is, the fair just isn't fun once you've experienced Walt Disney World. Even the attractions that are very similar just seem off because you're used to the spectacular stuff down in Florida. And don't get me started on the food. After fair week, I'm perfectly fine with not eating fast food for a long while. Food at Disney may be expensive, but at least it's a bit healthy. I'm not too sure what I ate all of fair week was any good for me. 

Either way, fair is over now, and I'm glad. We get our town back. At least for another week or so before Hamburger Fest pulls in. Between now and then I think I'll just enjoy the fact that the people driving on Main Street actually know that it isn't two lanes and the speed limit is 25. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on August 1st). 

Day 467: Nautical

Sometimes the "themes" of my life tend to mingle with one another, and this is most certainly one of those cases. My brother and I have been a part of our local 4-H Club for many years, and one of the things we generally do is the Foods Review each April. Basically you make a dish and then it's judged, but not just upon the food, but as well as a place setting and imaginary menu. It's actually kind of fun (until it gets to be tedious), but you can be pretty creative with it.

Unless you wait until the last minute to put your project together. In my brother's defense, he's a busy kid, so alright, we procrastinated a bit. Or he did rather. I had nothing to do with it. Until we all ended up trying to figure out a theme. His dish was something with shrimp, so we eventually decided on a nautical theme. Then, once you have a theme, you have to figure out your menu.

Of course, I knew what I was talking about. With a pirate as a favorite character on Once Upon A Time, I had some grand ideas. Plus, this does indeed relate to Disney, but we'll get to that in a minute. I mean, really, how can you go wrong with rum flavored punch? And grilled pineapple with coconut for dessert? Brilliance. Pure brilliance.

Once you have your menu set aside, you need a place setting, and honestly, that was kind of difficult to do at the last minute. But somehow, between all of us, we pulled it off, searching through the house for the perfect dishes and centerpiece. Speaking of the centerpiece, that was my idea. It's a model of the Old Key West Lighthouse that normally sits in our bathroom. I remembered that it was there and was like "GOT IT!" The judge thought it was too tall, but I still think it was pretty perfect.

Which brings us to the main idea here. After the foods review, I went shopping with one of my friends, and I realized that nautical everything is very in right now. I mean, you go to a store and where there were tons of bows a year ago, now there's everything pirate and ship and nautical. I LOVE IT.

You see, I've been embracing the nautical theme for years, and finally it's what's in. Although it seems I am one step ahead of these crazy fashion trends. That's good I suppose. To be ahead. But either way, I'm happy with it. It seems that, because I've spent so much of my childhood at Disney and specifically Old Key West, the nautical theme surrounds me. Two of the bathrooms in our house are themed after the sea, one with a very specific nautical theme (hence the lighthouse), and my favorite Disneybounds happen to generally have something to do with the theme as well. Even my favorite color, navy blue, is probably inspired by the theme.

Weird, huh?

Just goes to show how Disney can shape us in the smallest, most detailed ways.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, my brother got a first place ribbon at the foods review.

Have a magical day!