Word of the Day 1/12/11

Plinth (noun)

1: the lowest part of the base of an architectural column
2: a block used as a base (as for a statue)

Examples: The museum workers reverently set the newly restored statue back onto an imposing plinth.

"Anthony put on his glasses and bent down, searching for a minute label taped to the marble plinth on which the Atlas figures stood." -- From Rose Tremain's 2010 novel Trespass

Did You Know?: "These ivy-clad arcades -- / These mouldering plinths ... are they all -- / All of the famed, and the colossal left…?" In these lines from "The Coliseum," Edgar Allan Poe alludes to a practical feature of classical architecture. The plinth serves the important purpose of raising the base of the column it supports above the ground, thus protecting it from dampness and mold. The humble plinth is usually a mere thick block. It’s humbly named, too, for the Greek word "plinthos" means simply "tile" or "brick." English writers have used "plinth," a shortened version of the Latin form "plinthus," since the beginning of the 17th century. The meaning was extended to bases for statues, vases, or busts in the 18th century.

Merriam-Webster Word of the Day

The Vintage Chain Esty Shop

I am LOVING these charmed necklaces!

Came across this shop and I simply adore the "Pregnancy/Birth" necklaces... along with everything else in that store! These necklaces are personalized & handstamped so they'll always hold a special place in your heart.

Like this one below:

Just instead of Anna... it would be Ryan! Or Peanut!

And I think I would want this one to be "Alex, Shannon, Ryan"

(largest to smallest order)

This one I love too! It's beautiful and sweet!

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."

Check them all out! The Vintage Chain Shop

Or follow the blog: http://thevintagechain.blogspot.com/

One Word Posting!

It seems to be the cool thing to post! haha! jk! I'll keep to the one word though...

Your Cell Phone? iphone
Your Significant Other? Alex
Your Hair? Longer
Your Mother? Empress
Your Father? Crazy
Your Favorite? Eatting
Your Dream Last Night? Sexy!
Your Favorite Drink? Wine
Your Dream/Goal? Health
What Room Are You In? Office 
Your Hobby? Baking
Your Fear? Lonliness
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? Disneyland
Where Were You Last Night? Anaheim
Something That You Aren’t? Workaholic
Muffins? Cupcakes!
Wish List Item? Sushi
Where Did You Grow Up? Fullerton
Last Thing You Did? Texting
What Are You Wearing? Maternity
Your TV? HD
Your Pets? Adorable
Your Computer? On
Friends? Loves!
Your Life? Exciting
Your Mood? Exhausted
Missing Someone? Auntie
Your Car? Acura
Your Work? Trucking
Something You Aren’t Wearing? Jacket
Your Favorite Store? Vickie's
Your Favorite Color? White
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Earlier
Last Time You Cried? December
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Disneyland
Favorite Place To Eat? MeltingPot (okay that's kinda cheating)

Word of the Day 1/6/2011

Aureate (adjective)

1: of a golden color or brilliance
2: marked by grandiloquent and rhetorical style

Examples: Matthew tried to get into the novel that Stephanie had recommended, but he found reading the author's aureate prose too much of a slog.

"Still low over the flatland east, the sun threw long aureate light across the field." -- From Jeffrey Stepakoff's 2010 novel Fireworks Over Toccoa

Did You Know?: "Aureate" is among several adjectives in English pertaining to gold that derive from the Latin name for the metal, "aurum." While its relatives "auriferous" and "auric" are more likely to appear in scientific contexts to describe substances containing or made from gold (or "Au," to use its chemical symbol), "aureate" has tended to have a more literary allure since it was first used in English in the early 15th century. Over time, the word's use was extended from "golden" to "resplendent," and it finally lost some of its luster as it came to mean "grandiloquent."

Merriam-Webster Word of the Day

#61 DZP: Adopt a Puppy From a Shelter/Foster Home

Totally forgot about this goal! This last December was filled with puppies!
 

With the very unfortunate loss of Ginger, who wasn't even a year old and was murdered by a hungry pack of coyotes, my parents had a hard time dealing with the fact whether or not to get a new puppy. My Mother (who took the loss the hardest) wasn't ready for a new pup just yet, unlike my Father who needed a replacement to essentially distract himself from finding Ginger that dreadful Sunday morning.

So I went back to the Friends of Orange County's Homeless Pet's website and started to browse. I spotted a litter of mutts coming from the Perris, CA area. There was a little light tan, mini-lab-looking, female named "Kendall".

Kendall

She was going to be moved with her sister "Hillary" (a mini beagle look-alike) to their new foster parent in Tustin, CA on December 1st. After my application went through, I contacted the foster parent and asked if my folks and I could visit Kendall with our dog Kricket (older Boston Terrier, Ginger's older sister).

Hillary

So that night, we jet down to Tustin and met Kendall and Hillary. I suddenly had a change of heart and fell in love with Hillary (the darker one). She was shy and timid at first but very lovable when you picked her up. My Father fell in love with Kendall, because she was more outgoing and wanted to play with everyone! My Mother couldn't help her heart and loved both, and hated the thought of splitting the sisters up... so we adopted BOTH!

So we went through several names, but Malory (the beagle look-alike) and Millie (the lighter one) became their names! Yes, my parents were thankful for the new additions, and I'm sure glad I was able to give these puppies a loving home... even if potty-training is a little bit more difficult with 2 of them!

Then there was Scooter.

Scooter is a mutt one of my coworker's adopted. My grandmother and I kept threatening that we were going to steal Scooter and take him away! Scooter was always around the yard and loved to play with our yard/gaurd dog Saije (older female fat Pitbull). He's a very energetic puppy and can make dog-haters love him!

Unfortunately after a month, my coworker couldn't fully take care of him. Now when I heard this news, I immediately offered to buy the puppy for my grandmother, who has been complaining at this time of wanting her own puppy and being so lonely at her house. I took him home, bathed him, took him to the vet for first shots, got him plenty of toys and made sure my grandmother would be ready for puppy potty-training.

So on December 19th, my Mother and I took the little guy over to her house and surprised her with an early Christmas present! She didn't recognize him at first but still loved that there was a little ball of fuzz running around her house again.

Originally Scooter was named "Chico", then "Diego", I named him "Pigpen" after Charlie Brown's less-than-clean buddy but it was my grandmother in the end that named him Scooter... and I believe it suits him!

So as you can see, 3 new puppies for the family! Maybe one day, once my time has runned up on the DZP, I'll adopt a puppy from the shelter again for myself.

Now to get Puppy DNA tests for all 3...

100 Days To Go!

"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body." - Elizabeth Stone

Oh geez... 100 days left. 100 DAYS LEFT!

Coming closer and closer to the end here!

(And yes that's me... in my bathroom, checking out my belly-button slowly poking out, heck it's the only recent belly pic I got!)

Also coming up to 26 weeks, which is eventually coming up to 28 weeks (the beginning of my 3rd trimester!) Not gonna lie, but I now can't wait for my little man to come meet us all in the world!

The baby shower is coming up as well and I can't wait! Julie from Ohio will be coming out to California  next week which I'm very excited about, so she'll be able to make the shower! Heck! She's the reason the shower date was set! And my BooBoo Lil Alex was so kind enough to be involved with my shower: she's done an amazing job and has been a huge help! (I feel kinda bad because I haven't really done anything!) Oh and the invitations are just adorable! I'm thankful for all that she's done so far, and all that she plans to do! It's going to be the best baby shower ever! So stoked for it!

I've been very thankful for my support system, which only keeps growing (just like my baby!). I love that this child will have so much love around him and will have the best aunts and uncles! That right there makes me emotional and brings a tear to my eye!

And yes, I'm not having the easiest of pregnancies, but in the end, when I imagine holding my little man in my arms: that makes it all worth it! Feeling him move inside is truly a wonderful feeling, even if he is going to be the next Muhammad Ali!

*Grabs water bottle* So here's to you lil Ryan! And here's to the last of our 99 days as one!

"A baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it." - Frank A. Clark

#34 DZP: No Fast Food for a Month

New Year, New Month, not-so-new Me!

Well after the holidays (or after 2010), I think I've enjoyed my share of fast food. So I'll try to make January of 2011 a month of no:

-Carl's Jr.
-McDonalds (even though I never eat there anyways)
-Jack in the Box
-Del Taco
-Taco Bell
-Wendy's
-Burger King
-KFC
-Fat Burger
-WingStop
-Pizza Hut
-Dominoes Pizza
- In & Out Burger (gawd help me with this one!)

The ONLY "fast food" place I am NOT putting on this list is Subway. I feel that Subway is not a terrible place and reasonably healthy. And I really do not have the time, nor the energy to make every meal for myself. I enjoy a lot of light sandwiches and salads from Subway so I'm taking them off the "fast food" list!

I think I'll also revisit my "Fast Food Nation" book and re-read some interesting (interestingly gross) facts to keep me motivated!

Wish me luck!