Continuing...

So, to re-establish my participation in the 30 Day Challenge, here is-

The Dukes:

My dad, me, and my momma

Here is a picture of me and my parents taken about two years ago.  I couldn't find one with all three of us in it so I thought I would use this one.  It is in front of a restaurant we use to frequent when I lived in Virginia.  I believe this was on my mom's birthday.  I started calling my parents The Dukes when I was in high school and, well, the name has stuck.  My dad's listed as Father Dukes in my phone and my mom as Ma Dukes.  My parents got quite the kick out of it and even they have each other in their phones as "The Dukes."  :)  My dad is an engineer and, along with his dad (my grandpa duh), built a lot of the interstates around where I used to live at.  My mom is a nurse and has been for over 25 years.  I had my first real job working with her as a receptionist at the doctor's office she works at.  I had such a great time working there.  It was nice because we got to go out to lunch everyday and have nice talks.  I love my parents and they have given me so many things in life; including the wonderlust that is instilled within me and for my love of animals.  Thank you both.

Now on to the recipe of the week.

Organic Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12 cups:

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter

1/2 or less of organic powdered sugar

2 cups organic chocolate chip cookies (or carob chips for vegan)

1/4 tsp sea salt
12 paper muffin cups

Cut the tops off the muffin cups.  I folded them in half and then snipped across.  You could also probably use some paper cups if you would like and you have them on hand.  You are not baking these so they do not have to be oven safe.

Heat 1 1/2 cups of chips in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Make sure that you do not get distracted (that means no hoop citying while baking, Kelly!!) because you have to really watch and make sure you do not burn them.  Stir pretty continuously until all the chips are melted and you have a nice, creamy consistency.





Using a spoon, paint brush, or basting brush, spread the melted chocolate evenly into the muffin cups, being sure to fill all the cracks in the cups.  This is NOT as fun as it sounds; it is actually quite tedious and at time hard.  I placed then in muffin baking pans and it made it a ton easier.  In the end, it was kind of fun to paint the tins with chocolate; mainly because I kept dripping it on me and then licking it off :) shhh...  Place in freezer and let harden, about 10 minutes.

After the chocolate has almost hardened, combine the peanut butter, salt, and powdered sugar and either microwave or heat up in a sauce pan (I only had one small sauce pan so I had to, unfortunately, nuke the PB).  Stir until nice and creamy.  It is a little complicated to get the powdered sugar fully distributed.  I would maybe recommend adding a little sugar at a time.  After it has cooled slightly, start filling your lovely, hardened cups.  Do not overfill, you still have to put the rest of the chocolate on them.

After you have filled them with the peanut butter, rewarm your chocolate saucepan and top with the remaining chocolate.  I couldn't get them covered very nicely so I just swirled them.  I think it looks a lot cooler like that anyways :P.  Before you start digging in (and you will want to, trust me, after smelling all that yummy, cooking chocolate for the past few minutes), stick them in the freezer for about an hour.  If you can't wait, we will all understand.




After they have hardened, enjoy!!  Now, I know these are not healthy, but we are allowed to indulge every once in a while, right?  And if you are craving some Reese's (like my boyfriend was), at least you can make your own, controlling what you put in there.  You can always sub the powdered sugar for splenda, stevia, or xylitol.  I'm sure it would come out similar.  You may have to heat those up a little to prevent the cups from becoming grainy.  I leave you with a picture of my love enjoying his organic PB cup.  And a rare one at that with him actually smiling!!  He hates pictures.  :)

Peace, love, and hoops- SG*

Remembering the Olden Days

So continuing with the 30 Day Blog Challenge:

Day 2- Meaning Behind Your Blog Name
When I first started to be involved in online communities, I was going by the name Ecoglowyogini.  This being a three word combo meaning environmentally friendly, raving, yogi.  I used this name on a lot of things, including my buyers etsy account.  Once I really started to get into hooping, I thought of nothing else.  Things, ideas, started to come to me about different things in my life; revelations if you will.  One was even my hooping name:  Spin Gypsy.  I don't know where exactly it came from, it just popped right into my head one day.  I liked the sound of it and thought it would be perfect.  I have some gypsy in my soul.  A few years ago, a lady told me that I was a gypsy fortune teller and possibly even Egyptian royalty in past lives.  So, maybe it's in my karma or recollection of past lives that I feel this inner connection to the gypsy, nomadic lifestyle.  I wish I could do a lot more travelling.  It's hard to travel everywhere when you don't have the money to.  Ah, things will come around soon enough;  I can feel it!!  So the blog name, Gypsy Apologue, is a sort of online journal of this travelling, hooping gypsy and all my interesting, or not so interesting, accounts. 

Day 3-  Your First Love
It is funny to reminisce about the times of this occasion.  Elementary school; Cornerstone Christian;  some of the best childhood years of my life.  You see, this was a very small school.  I had no more than 10 people in my class from kindergarten to the sixth grade.  The five or six of us that had been together through this elementary school process were very close.  In first grade, I had the biggest crush on this boy in my class:  Ritchie Mangus;  funny last name, cute boy.  We had a lot of things in common; we both liked rock music, wore Jncos, went to hockey games, and listened to Chumbawamba.  When you're in elementary school, you don't really "date" so to speak.  It's more like you hang out with the person more than other people and you call yourself "boyfriend and girlfriend."

Funny story looking back, there was another cute boy in our class.  His name was Michael Maloney.  (I know, what's up with these names haha?)  He was a little more shy, but cute as can be.  I remember in the third grade we had a new girl come into our grade.  Hmm... can remember her name;  I want to say her last name was Reardon or something.  Anyways... she liked Michael.  Well, we had been friends for four years and I didn't really like her.  So throughout the third grade, her and I fought over Michael and the poor boys were caught in the middle of this grade school girl fight.  I can picture us in the playground bickering back and forth.  Ha!!  What great memories!!  Eventually she left after, I think, that year of third grade.  Oh.. oh... Ashley Reardon;  that was her name!!  Wow, can't believe I remembered that.  So this epic struggle betwixt my love for my fellow male class mates was ongoing up until graduation from the sixth grade.  Ritchie and I were pretty much "going out" the whole time, but I always really liked Michael.

After we had all graduated from Cornerstone, we split up, all mostly going to separate schools.  Once in high school, I missed my classmates and tried to contact a few of them.  The first, was of course, Ritchie.  I actually had a working number and talked to him on the phone.  It made me a little upset because he acted like he wasn't really that excited about hearing from me after a few years and, worse yet, didn't sound the least bit interested in getting together.  So much for that.

Fast forward seven years since Cornerstone.  All of us that had been to school for seven years together had graduated from different schools.  I started going to a larger college near where I lived and began to look up some old school mates to see where they were going to college.  Yet again, Ritchie would be the first.  That was way back when I actually had a Facebook, when you HAD to be a college student to even have an account.  I found him and believe it or not, he was going to ODU, too.  As a matter of fact, a few days later I saw him in the food court and went up to him.  Not a good choice;  he completely ignored me and acted as if he didn't even know me.  It really, really hurt my feelings.  I had done nothing but be nice to him.  Shortly after that, his mom happened to come into the restaurant where I worked and we chatted for quite some time.  I didn't have the heart to tell her what had happened between Ritchie and I when she said, oh Ritchie goes to ODU, too.  Yeah, know that.

I actually ended up catching up with Michael, who also happened to be going to ODU.  We was way nice and seemed like he enjoyed catching up with me after all those years.  And must I add, TOTAL cutie!!  Hot, blonde, surfer type.  We never had any connection going on, so it didn't go any further than just talking and eating lunch together once in a while.  He did, however, make me feel a whole lot better by informing me of how much of an ass Ritchie had become to everyone that we went to school with.  Supposedly, quite a few of them had graduated from the same Christian school and he acted like a total snob to all of them.  Well, at least it wasn't just to me!!

So, even though he may seem like a total waste of space and breath, he was my first boyfriend and love.  I, to this day, have a picture of us together.  I can't remember where we were; a field trip, I do know that.

We couldn't be older than fourth grade, maybe (**edit note:  I just noticed the "'97" on the liscense plate, which I assumed would mean this was in 97 so I was in the fourth grade.).  Looking at this picture reminds me of all the great times we had together:  Ritchie having the hiccups on a field trip and the tour guide scaring the crap out of him; Gabriel and Ritchie racing to see who was faster; me squirting ketchup on the back of some lady with a white shirt on at a hockey game we were at together; our sixth grade big trip to Washington DC where we spent the weekend and we all were at the age where we thought about sneaking into each other's rooms (which of course was not even possible due to all the adult/parent chaperons).  Good times.

So here's to a little reminiscing, of the good, of the bad.  The past is what makes us who were are.  And even though he ended up being such a drag, I still thank him for all the great times and memories he made with me.

Today is a beautiful day, but too cold for hooping (-5!!).  I am going to go do some yoga instead.  Look tomorrow for my post about the most awesome museum we went to over the weekend!!  After that, the continuation of the thirty day blog challenge.  Peace.

     

Let's Make This Interesting...

Right now, my life is somewhat boring (very busy for me, but as a reader I'm sure it's lacking much excitement).  So I thought I would do the 30 Day Blog Challenge that Bhakti is doing on her blog.  I figured it would jump start some interesting posts and you all would learn a little about me.

Day 1- Introduction, 15 interesting facts, and a recent picture

Hello!!  I'm Kelly.  I go mostly by Spin Gypy in online communities.  I live in Wasilla, Alaska- no I don't know Sarah Palin, nor did I get invited to Bristol's wedding (yes, people ask us that).  I work at The Better Companion as a Certified Pet Care Technician, which is a pretty awesome sounding term for doggie daycare sitter.  I am house sitting with my boyfriend for a wonderful couple who winters down in the lower forty eight in their beautiful house with a huge backyard.  I'm an avid hooper, yogini, environmentalist, painter, crafter, reader, and writer.

15 Interesting Facts About Me:

1. I went to school to be a Biology major and ended up graduating with an Interior Design degree with a focus on LEED and green design.
2. I  moved almost 5000 miles to Alaska after visiting on vacation for nine days.
3. Baking is my catch 22- I used to not like sweets very much, until I met an oven :).  I do try to make all the recipes either healthier, organic, or vegan most of the time.
4. My all-time yogi idol is KK Ledford.  I love her energy so much.  Her style, charisma, and quirkiness is amazing.  She is, in a way, an inner part of me that I have not released.  The blending of yoga, herbalism, and astrology is almost dejavu like to me.  My goal of combining yoga, green design, and herbalism hits really close to that.  I now want to add hoopdance to that line-up!!
5. I am a huge recycler.  When I go places or do catering jobs, I always save everything that can be recycled and take home with me.  Sometimes I feel like people think it's a bit extreme, but, oh well.  I also have started a recycling program at my last three jobs (mostly this entailed making a designated recycling spot and then me taking it home to recycle haha).
6. Electronic dance music is my life.  When I was 9 I started listening to The Prodigy and at 14 I heard my first "real" techno song which was Sandstorm by Darude.  Thus began the days of raving.  Ever since that time I have fallen madly in love with all genres of edm including, but not limited to:  psytrance, drum n bass, liquid, trance, breaks, and dubstep.  I have seen The Prodigy, The Crystal Method, Infected Mushroom, Dieselboy, DJ Icey, Jon B, Tiesto, DJ Rap, Baby Anne, AK1200, Dara, Rabbit In The Moon, MIA, Subfocus, Evol Intent, Bassnectar, Jen Lasher, and Paul Oakenfold live, just to name a few.  I also had the privledge to attend the last six closing parties of the Uber-warehouse club Nation in DC, largest night club on the East Coast.  RIP Nation- we all miss you!!
7. I have been to all 50 states except Hawaii.  I hope to change that this spring when we go there on vacation.  I want to see the volcanoes and waterfalls so bad.  Screw the beach; I want to go hiking!!
8. I went to Christian school for eight years of my life.
9. Everyone usually has a big extended family.  It's pretty much my parents, grandparents, and myself.  Other people such as my dad's brother and my grand mothers' siblings live around VA where I grew up, but they did some awful things and therefore I don't consider them family.  (Like, how can you steal an 11 year olds dog?  I mean, come on.  Can you say scarred for life?)
10. One of my biggest dreams is to backpack across Europe and Asia, hitting all of the ancient holy places such as Stonehenge, Mt Olympus, Easter Island, Bodh Gaya (aka where the Buddha became enlightened) and Sarnath, numerous Buddhist temples in Thailand, and Elephanta Caves and Vrindavan along with numerous others.  I want to hit some fun places like Amsterdam and real tea houses, too.
11. I used to be deathly afraid of spiders.  Eventually, to get over this fear, I started befriending the "corner spiders," talking to them and allowing them to stay.  Then, I started to save them instead of kill the bigger ones when they were inside my house, picking them up with whatever happened to be available at the moment and putting them outside.
12. I am one of those people that read multiple books at one time.  The going record for multi-books at one time:  four.
13. I used to read the Twilight books when they first came out.  I totally boycotted them and the movies once all the teeny boppers got into them.  No, really, I was mad that Edward wasn't up to my standard and that's the real reason I refuse to have any part of it.  That and I think things like "Team Edward" are a bit much.
14. I got my eyebrow pierced as a rebellion against an ex-boyfriend when I was out of town visiting my friend's sister in Nags Head at 18.  I came home and my parents were livid, commanding me to take it out.  I faked that I couldn't and had it up until April of last year.  I took it out for a front desk job at the resort I worked at even though you weren't "allowed" to have facial piercings but everyone did.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss it.
15. I am secretly, desperately in love with Johnny Depp.  I am totally not an "into celebrity everything" type person.  I don't watch E!, read People or US Weekly, and for damn sure don't go on all those celebrity dish websites (I don't even know the name of one, but I do know they're out there).  But I LOVE me some Johnny Depp.  He is so mysterious and awesome.  **Melt**  Favorite movies (in order of likeness):  Cry Baby, Edward Scissorhands, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (I strongly recommend the book!!), Blow, Chocolat, and the Corpse Bride.  I of course love every movie he's been in (with the exception of the Astronaut's Wife- he is hott, but not that hott), but these are my favorites.  

Here is a picture of me that was taken today during my Etsy photoshoot for new, cooler pics:

So I am going to try to post these challenges everyday, but, knowing me, I will miss some.  So I will just post when I get a chance and post two in one if I miss.  I'm excited about this because not only will you learn something about me, I will learn somethings about myself, too!!  Happy weekend.  Peace.