21 Years

Topic of the Day: 21st Birthday

One bad thing about American culture is how much emphasis they put on drinking. As if that's all there is to life. It's a marketing ploy, happy hour after you get off work to 'release' stress you accumulated throughout the day. There are other ways folks. Meet with a group of friends for dinner and laughs seems more appealing to me. 

 

Anyways, a few days ago it was my younger cousin's twenty-first birthday. I tried to look online for gift ideas but unfortunately for me everything revolved around booze. So I put my thinking cap on and came up with something unique: 21 presents for a 21 year old to be!

 

I love adding a little bit of a joke gift in every present I give out. So this time my first present of the twenty-one would be fake alcohol! I wanted to go with a theme as well (like I always do), this time it would be Pink & Turquoise! Flirty and Girly. ;)


Apple Cranberry Sparkling Cider

 

For people that know me personally they know I'm obsessed with scents! Very specific scents though. I worked at Macys and the brand new carpets they had come in I could sniff them all day. The new car smell? AHmazing! Old books that have been shut for years and forgotten? Love it! Yes I'm a weirdo. When it comes to scents that I gift to others I choose something more human like. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the perfume bottle. It was pretty and pink to match with the theme.

 

The other items I got are random smaller pieces to make up the twenty-one gifts.

I also added some food items such as Pringles, Granola Bars and Candy!

(although I didn't take any pictures of them sadly)

These beautiful bracelets are the perfect color! Pink and Turquoise!

 I also got pink nail polish, pink lip gloss, colorful hair bands and pretty earrings!

A pink loofa, pink and turquoise rose socks and a cute little cat mirror!

This candle smells oh so good! I'm going to be going back to get one of my own.

  A few of the candies that I got, tried to stick to the pink color, haha. :)

THE END!

Meeka's Spay

So as you know, Meeka is a Ragdoll. A kitten which I bought from Rasta Ragdolls located in California. According to my contract which I signed with my breeder, I must have Meeka spayed before she turns 7 months or I forfeit the documentation for her.

 

As of today she is exactly 6 months old to date. I can barely remember her kitten days and she's already a teenager. She's lost her little baby face, her tail has gotten thicker and her fur is all around fluffier and softer than ever. And she's still growing! They say Ragdolls fully mature once they are 3 years old. Imagine that. :)

 

It's hard finding a good vet. Apparently I've been ripped-off twice now. From two different vets. I've taken her to Countryside, where they charged me $160 to treat a kitten cold which she developed on the plane.  I found out the spay procedure they do costs well over $500!!! So I took Meeka to Dunloggin per advice from a client. I forgot this client is rich and owns their own business. Needless to say they charged me $300 for her spay procedure when it could have been done under $150. Ya live and ya learn I suppose.

 
I read an article that they now offer pet insurance which I feel is just a pull for more money to straddle out of you. If you think about it, the monthly costs add up to what you would be paying anyways. The pet insurance does not even cover the more hefty costs such as surgery! That's what you need it for!!

 

Not for the faint of heart:

Those are her stitches day two. Brutal isn't it?

 

I was feeling so horrible I went out and bought her this tower scratching post that conveniently came on sale the same day as her spay procedure.

 

 

I've been wanting this particular one for a long time and it was $40 cheaper so why not! Although the spay procedure price knocked the wind out of me the next day.. It's quite sturdy. Withstands her random climbing and jumping off crazyness. The carpet is nice and soft and the rope is great for scratching. 

 

She lays around the funniest ways. I know I shouldn't be making fun of her. With all the pain she's going through. Granted my sister started it first. Though that's no excuse. Shame on me. But take a look at these funny pics!

She does not give a hoot about the way she's sitting.

Imagine a proper lady sitting that way! Haha!

Eid-al-Adha

So as you may or may not know, Muslims celebrated their second holiday of the year!

This one is called Eid-al-Adha and does not require a month of fasting in advance.

I tried to fast for two days prior since your rewards are greater but unfortunately there was a slight mishap with that. I started off to a great morning - until my sister and I entered Wegmans. We walked in and I saw piping hot chocolate with a frothy fluff that looked oh so delectable that I forgot I was fasting. I'm normally not even a chocolate person, unless it's shark week, so.. I don't even know why my brain was like "EAT THIS". 

  

We dressed up all pretty and nice and headed over to the Mosque. Prayer started around 9:40 in the morning, had a lecture afterwards and then hugs and kisses to those around you. Afterwards we headed over to my aunt's for brunch. The food was delicious! Regrettably I didn't take any pictures, was too busy stuffing my face instead. Then my cousins and I went on an aimless trip around town.

 

I skipped out on 3 Eid parties and decided to take a nap since I rarely get a day off during the week. Then I got started on my Eid treats for the party we were having at our house that night! I like to call them Lá Petitè Eid Cupcakes! Or you can call them Fancy Cupcakes like my sister. I found two recipes on Pinterest, combined them whilst changing some ingredients and this is what I came up with:
 

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting filled with a Cookie and Cream Hershey Kiss center topped with Gift Box Chocolate! Does that not tingle your taste buds? I'm not even a chocolate person but this creation was oh so delicious! The types of chocolate on the cupcakes were: Tiramisu, Crème Brûlée, Brownie, Meringue, Molten Cake and Caramel Éclair.

I used a Ziplock bag (tinted the frosting with a smidge of red food coloring) and snipped off the tip to create the dots border then squiggled on the normal colored buttercream frosting for a different design. I don't mean to brag I think the pictures look pretty good but in person they were so much more beautiful!! One thing I would change though - the sweetness. They were sweeeeet.

 

It was a really fun night spending it with family and relatives, enjoying good food, conversation and laughs. The highlight of the festivities continued on into the next day!! At work three of my clients surprised me with a special card and dessert:

 

I think this is the most absolute thoughtful thing anyone has ever done! Don't get me wrong there are plenty of clients who are generous. But to remember a holiday for a religion they do not share - that's something special. I was so taken aback by their kindness and just idk it was so thoughtful. I can't get over it. My ears turned red and hot when I was thanking them over the phone and in person. I feel happy butterflies like at the top of a rollercoaster - people are so kind! *yay*

Meeka's Walk

Topic of the Day: Taking your cat for a walk on a leash.

I know this is probably totally odd for some of you to read. BUT! Before you judge and label me as a crazy cat lady. Take note! I've seen people do this before (on YouTube) and I'm just trying to give my pet a little more freedom. I was waiting till she got a little older so that I could buy her a harness which is a lot sturdier and safer but I couldn't deny my little cutie patootie meowing at the door wanting to go outside to enjoy the beautiful weather and warm breeze.

Here she is enjoying the sunshine in front of the door.

 Taking a graceful walk around the perimeter of the house.

 Lying in the grass, oh sweet fall bliss! :)

She definitely enjoyed the occasion. A little too much actually! She got rambunctious and started to run across the lawn where I could barely keep up with her. Thank goodness for her leash!! It was a little scary I thought she would break free and escape.

Ragdolls are supposed to be strictly indoor cats with 100% supervision when let outside. They don't defend themselves and will probably walk up to a hungry wolf out of curiosity. They aren't shy of strangers either and tend to get stolen pretty often. I'll be getting her a harness as soon as I can. I'm sure if she was determined enough she would be able to wiggle out of her collar or snap her leash off by tugging on it. I would be beyond devastated to lose her. So lets not ever let that happen!