Today's Adventure: Black Friday

Back up north, my family and I would go to different shopping centers and just walk around on Black Friday. We would look at the people rushing around and take our time looking in shops we were interested in. Since I moved to Florida, I had always been working on Black Friday, so I never got to see what this shopping day is like here.

That all changed today! Mike and I dropped his car off at Firestone (they have some amazing deals this weekend, check them out if you have one nearby! Oil change, new wiper blades and a full inspection plus more for $26.99!) and we ventured to the mall.

My first time in Altamonte Springs Mall was very nice, not crazy crowded as you would assume and there is quite a good selection of stores. It is also far enough out of the tourist bubble in Orlando that you didn't have to worry about being mobbed by tour groups.

Other stores we perused include Michaels, Christmas Tree Shops, Home Depot, Target and Ashley Furniture. They one one of all of these stores that was actually crazy was Target, and that may just be because I live near a very small Target. We picked up small items here and there, saw some good deals but nothing that we really needed...

and then there was Walmart, where Mike and I found the television we have been looking at for weeks!  I haven't really had a television for the last two and a half years. I had an old RCA box television that I plugged my Playstation 2 into (yes, I am that far back in the electronic times), but nothing I could actually use for entertaining.

After doing our research, Mike and I decided on a Samsung 40 inch television and Walmart had it on sale for $297 today! Best buy of the day for us!

My Black Friday treat!

Did you get any great Black Friday buys??? Share with us below!

Throwback Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

This week's throwback is in celebration of the holiday today and a reminder of what I was thankful for 5 years ago. Many of these comments still stand now, plus so many more. In a year when I have bought a house and changed careers, I just cannot begin to list all of the wonderful things I am thankful for in my life. Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The True Disney Fan would like to wish all of her American friends a Happy Thanksgiving!

This is what The True Disney Fan is Thankful For:

• Her Mother, Father and little sister
• Her loving boyfriend
• All of her great friends from her University
• Food on the table
• Walt Disney and his many visions
• The opportunity to work with Celebrations Magazine
• The amazing people she has met on Twitter, Facebook, and other awesome Disney sites

Last, but not least, She wants to thank all of the awesome people who read and enjoy her blog posts! If it was not for all of the positive responses she has gotten from her readers, she would not be so enthusiastic about writing!

Have a safe, happy and delicious Thanksgiving!! 

Adventures in the Kitchen: Flourless Fudge Cookies

Mike and I are motivating each other to eat healthy. We find that whenever we are together, we tend to eat whatever we want. We eat out more and eat junk more. Since he left for his core rotations, we have been working together but separately to come up with a healthy eating regimen that way we can stick to it when we visit each other.

Part of our regimen is that we get one day a week to be our "cheat day", meaning that we can go over our calories deliberately and indulge a bit. This may be the day we have a few drinks, eat out or have a little extra dessert.

Entering this past week, I had my meals planned out and knew what I would cook when. After planning everything, I realized I did not really give myself a cheat day. The worst thing I was making was the Corn Chowder, so I decided to make that my cheat day and I would decide how to indulge when the day got there.

The week went by and Friday finally arrived. I made my chowder and it was great, but outside of having some chocolate milk at breakfast and throwing some bacon on my salad, I really would not consider myself having a "cheat day". Heck, I didn't even reach my calorie goal with everything I ate.

I wanted something sweet, but not candy, and I really did not have anything to fill that craving. I also did not have a wide variety of baking ingredients. I searched my Pinterest boards and finally came across a recipe that I had the basic ingredients for. The recipe was from kingarthurflour.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cocoa Powder
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (gluten Free if you are trying to make them that way)

The other ingredient that could have been added was 1 teaspoon of espresso powder, but I did not add this as I really do not like coffee.

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 365. Grease two baking sheets. 
2. Stir the ingredients until smooth, scraping the bowl as you stir. 
3. Drop the soft, batter-like dough onto the baking sheets in 1 1/2 inch circles. 
4. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes. They will spread out, become shiny and some may have a cracked look on top. 
5. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pans. 

The directions were easy to follow and yielded 16 cookies. They were not too sweet and the chocolate powder that I used really gave them a strong flavor, but as a quick and easy dessert, I was quite pleased.

Flourless Fudge Cookies

Makes 16 3" cookies
Calories: 88 per cookie


Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cocoa Powder
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (gluten Free if you are trying to make them that way.

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 365. Grease two baking sheets. 
2. Stir the ingredients until smooth, scraping the bowl as you stir. 
3. Drop the soft, batter-like dough onto the baking sheets in 1 1/2 inch circles. 
4. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes. They will spread out, become shiny and some may have a cracked look on top. 
5. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pans.

Today's Adventure: Sea World's Polar Express

I went to Sea World today to see their Christmas event. What I didn't know, and what is good to reference, is that the majority of their celebration happens after 5pm. It all sounded awesome; the Sea of Trees, the Christmas Marketplace, ice skating, I just was not planning on spending my whole day there today. I am still excited to see everything and will make a trip to see it, just now at a better time. 

The one Christmas attraction I did get to see was what called me to check it out to begin with. The radio commercials last year for The Polar Express had me so excited for it and it was open at 10 am today! I figured I would share my pictures from my Polar adventure. Look for more Sea World fun soon! 

So Excited!!

The pre-show looks like the boy's bedroom. 

It even whistles like the train!

We are loaded onto the train, the ride itself was quite gentle for a motion simulator

Hurray!!!

Gorgeous tree

Santa is even here!!!

The facades in general were not many, but added to the scenery well. They even were playing the music from the soundtrack throughout the entire attraction. 

How could I say no, especially to that price!

The exit, and yes, I do believe!

Adventures in the Kitchen: Crockpot Corn Chowder

Hurray for Friday! After a long week, I just don't feel like cooking at times. Enter the amazing invention; the Crock Pot (or slow cooker, whatever term you prefer). Just throw some stuff in the pot, turn it on low while you are at work and you come home to a meal! Its brilliant and I want to shake the hand of the person who invented it!

I figured, after the chilly week we have had here in Florida (Yes, I was cold, don't judge me) I thought coming home to a crock pot filled with corn chowder would be a great idea!

The recipe I found was from crockingirls.com. This recipe had been sitting in my Pinterest space for a while. Very simple recipe, just adding the ingredients, letting it cook, adding a couple more and then it is done. I relative novice chef shouldn't mess that up!

First: the Ingredients: 

• 6-8 potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 Can cream corn 
• 1 Can whole kernel corn
• 2 Cups chicken broth
• 8 Ounces diced ham
• 1 Cups diced onions
• 1/4 Cups butter
• 2 Cups half and half

For the potatoes, I cut them up the night before. The ones I found were pretty large

so I only used 3 of them. In hindsight, I could have probably done with one more, but I was happy with my choice. Both varieties of corn were Del Monte as they were buy one, get one free at Publix. For the chicken broth, I actually used chicken stock as it is supposed to have more flavor than just regular broth. This seemed to work just as well for me. It was an all natural version called Kitchen Basics. The diced ham was also a natural version, no MSGs, by Cumberland Gap. They actually had a pre-diced version that was exactly 8 ounces, which made it very easy to just dump into the pot. The butter was Target brand and the half and half was from Organic Valley, a perfect pint size. 

The Directions: 

Adding the ingredients

1. Put the potatoes, both cans of corn, chicken broth, diced ham and onion into the crock pot. 

2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours

3. Mash the mixture to your desired consistency and then add the butter and half and half.

4. Cook for 30 minutes on high and then serve. 

After 9 hours cooking

When I woke up this morning, it took a total of 8 minutes to put the crock pot bag in the pot, open everything, pour it into the pot and turn it on low. It was great! I then left and forgot about it. As my day at work had to start a little earlier than usual, my chowder ended up being in the pot for almost 9 hours, but that did not seem to change anything about the recipe.

When I got home, the house smelled great! I went into the kitchen, stirred the contents and then mashed it up a bit. (I love my Farberware utensils, I have a Nylon Basting Spoon and masher from them and they work great!) I don't think this had to be done, but I cut my butter up into chunks and threw it in the pot with the cream. After a half hour on high, I poured some into a bowl and had probably the best dinner I had all week!

After adding the butter and Half and Half

I ate it just the way it came out of the crock pot, but some may want to add some salt and/or pepper to theirs, all depends on your taste. 

If you are interested in the calories, according to MyFitnessPal when I plugged it in with my ingredients, it said this dish would be 383 Calories for 6 servings.  After spooning it out and putting the rest of the chowder into containers, I am thinking that I may be getting 8 servings out of it, but we will see. 

Would I recommend this recipe? Absolutely!! I plan on saving it to my recipe book on my tablet and would definitely make this again!

What are your thoughts on my first Adventure in the Kitchen? Have you made this before? What would you have done differently? Please leave comments below and let me know your thoughts! 

Crockpot Corn Chowder

Servings 6-8

• 6-8 potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 Can cream corn 
• 1 Can whole kernel corn
• 2 Cups chicken broth
• 8 Ounces diced ham
• 1 Cups diced onions
• 1/4 Cups butter
• 2 Cups half and half

The Directions: 

1. Put the potatoes, both cans of corn, chicken broth, diced ham and onion into the crock pot. 

2. Cook on low for 7-8 hours

3. Mash the mixture to your desired consistency and then add the butter and half and half.

4. Cook for 30 minutes on high and then serve. 

Throwback Thursday: Mickey's Birthday

Here is a throwback post from my previous blog, The True Disney Fan, celebrating the my former boss' birthday in 2009. Enjoy!

November 18, 2009

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse!!

In Honor of Mickey Mouse's 81st Birthday, I thought I would post some pictures that I was given from a Disney magazine from a past birthday!

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse!! 

Today's Adventure: Osborne Lights!!

I love the Christmas season, it runs in my family and even though I try very hard to keep the holiday prep until after Thanksgiving, I just can't help but take opportunities when they are presented to celebrate. Osborne lights are one of those opportunities. Especially when you have a cold day like today, it just felt like Christmas!  I will talk more about my love of the lights another time, but I just had to post a favorite picture from tonight.

 Many things are hidden throughout the display; hidden mickeys, a black cat, a razorback, infamous leg lamp and so on. While searching for these hidden gems, this classic character was pointed out to me. Baby Sinclair is such a happy memory from my childhood! I actually had a stuffed doll of him when I was little that said classic phrases such as "Not the mama!" and "I'm the baby, gotta love me!" I was so excited to find this and had to share it out. 

What is your favorite part of the Osborne lights? Have you seen them before? What is your favorite song? Please leave your comments or questions  below and check out my Instagram page for video and pictures from the lights this evening.

Adventures in the Kitchen: Intro to my Kitchen

I have always loved cooking. When I was little, I found an basic pound cake recipe in one of my mothers cookbooks and after making it a couple times, decided that I could make it better. I tweaked the recipe to make a vanilla pound cake, a rainbow pound cake and a cinnamon pound cake.

My pride and joy :)

I took chef's classes in high school and loved every minute of it. I was even in the FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) and competed in cake decorating and table setting (winning bronze and gold respectively).  In those classes, I first worked with a KitchenAid Mixer and fell in love. I kept telling my mother I wanted one and she told me when I got my first place she would buy me one. It took 8 years for that to finally become a reality.

The kitchen is just a happy place to be in my opinion and creating something delicious out of a bunch of  random ingredients is quite a fun science (and the closest I will get to being good at a real science)

So, why post about my little self's cooking past? Well, I figure that if I want you to read and take my cooking and ideas seriously, you should know my background and where I come from. I am no chef school graduate nor a food critic, I just enjoy cooking and want to share what I learn along the way.

Some facts about my kitchen:

• I like to try to cook healthy, but there will be no guarantee that every recipe that I make will be. 
• Desserts can be big in this house (especially when Mike is visiting), plus I just love to bake!
• I have been working towards trying to use organic products and products without MSGs, however,
• I am a poor teacher that lives on my own and organic can be expensive! I will be specific in my ingredients what I am using
• Also on the poor teacher route, there are few name brands or products that I am 100% loyal to (I tend to go store brand or what is on sale), I will label those as I come across them
• I love kitchen gadgets! If you know any good ones, comment away!
• Recipes that I make come from everywhere; cookbooks, Pinterest, friends and just the internet. 

I hope you enjoy the recipes that I will soon be posting and if you have any suggestions of things you would like to see please send me an email at jadisney12@gmail.com or leave a comment below!

Walt Disney Parks and Cruise Line's New Health and Educational Alliance

As a special education teacher and someone who has health issues of my own, this news story I find very exciting! The below press release focuses on a new alliance between pharmaceutical company Mylan, the makers of the EpiPen, and The Walt Disney Parks. The Disney parks will begin placing EpiPens throughout the parks and the Disney Cruise Line ships to make the emergency medication more accessible for those who may need it. There will also be an initiative to create educational programs to "increase awareness of and preparedness for severe allergic reactions."

The first phase, EpiPens becoming available throughout the parks, begins in late 2014. I certainly hope that one of the first initiatives throughout the parks will be to teach the Cast Members how to use them in case they come across such a situation.  Read the full press release below for more information. 

Mylan Signs Strategic Alliance Agreement with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to Enhance Access to EpiPen^® (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors

EpiPen^® Auto-Injector Locations Designated on Updated Guide Maps and Signage

New Multi-year Alliance to Increase Anaphylaxis Awareness through Multiple Educational Initiatives

PITTSBURGH – Nov. 7, 2014 – Mylan Inc. (Nasdaq: MYL) today announced it has signed a multi-year strategic alliance agreement with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts to help increase awareness of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening (severe) allergic reaction. The agreement includes updated maps in Disney’s domestic theme parks and on its cruise ships as well as updated signage in the parks that highlight locations with EpiPen^® (epinephrine) and EpiPen Jr^® (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors. Over time, the companies also will introduce a variety of educational resources designed to increase awareness of and preparedness for severe allergic reactions.

Magic Kingdom Copyright Jessica Clawson

EpiPen^® locations will roll out at Disney parks and on cruise ships beginning in late 2014. In addition to emergency medical services (EMS), nurses trained to administer EpiPen Auto-Injectors are available during First Aid station operating hours to assist guests experiencing a severe allergic reaction. To help guests identify EpiPen locations, Disney’s guide maps will now include an EpiPen Auto-Injector symbol and new signage at First Aid stations.

“Mylan’s mission is to provide the world’s 7 billion people access to high quality medicine and set new standards in health care. In support of this mission, we are committed to enhancing access to EpiPen Auto-Injectors and to increasing awareness of anaphylaxis. Like life, severe allergic reactions are unpredictable, so people need to be prepared,” said Mylan CEO Heather Bresch. “We are very proud to be working with Disney, which already has a strong reputation for meeting the needs of people managing severe allergies, and believe we can further raise awareness of anaphylaxis through this collaboration and our joint commitment to education.”

Anaphylaxis is unpredictable, and can progress quickly and without warning. Clinical guidelines state that epinephrine is the first-line treatment when anaphylaxis occurs, making access critical. For those with a known risk, it is important to be prepared with an anaphylaxis action plan that includes 1) avoiding known allergens, 2) recognizing the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, 3) having immediate access to two epinephrine auto-injectors, such as EpiPen Auto-Injector, and 4) seeking immediate emergency medical care should anaphylaxis occur.

“For our guests who live with severe allergies every day, identifying EpiPen locations is an additional tool they’ll have for their anaphylaxis management plan,” said Dr. Pamela Hymel, chief medical officer for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “This new strategic alliance will help raise awareness of EpiPen locations so that our Guests with severe allergies may have the best possible experience at our parks and on our cruise ships.”

Families managing known severe allergies are encouraged to follow their individual anaphylaxis action plans and carry their epinephrine auto-injectors with them at all times.

IndicationsEpiPen^® (epinephrine) 0.3 mg and EpiPen Jr^® (epinephrine) 0.15 mg Auto-Injectors are for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) caused by allergens, exercise, or unknown triggers; and for people who are determined to be at increased risk for these reactions. EpiPen and EpiPen Jr are intended for immediate self administration as emergency supportive therapy only. Seek immediate emergency medical treatment after use.

Important Safety Information

EpiPen Auto-Injectors contain a single dose of epinephrine, which you inject into your outer thigh. DO NOT INJECT INTO YOUR VEIN, BUTTOCK, FINGERS, TOES, HANDS OR FEET. In case of accidental injection, please seek immediate medical treatment. Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related (cardiac) symptoms.

Tell your doctor if you have certain medical conditions such as asthma, depression, thyroid disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, have any other medical conditions, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Be sure to also tell your doctor all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma. If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have longer lasting side effects when you take the EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector.

The most common side effects may include increase in heart rate, stronger or irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing, paleness, dizziness, weakness or shakiness, headache, apprehension, nervousness or anxiety. These side effects usually go away quickly, especially if you rest.

Talk to your healthcare professional to see if EpiPen or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injector is right for you.

Please see the full Prescribing Information and Patient Information.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

About EpiPen^® (epinephrine) Auto-Injector

EpiPen^® (epinephrine) and EpiPen Jr^® (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors are used for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions. Each EpiPen 2-Pak^® and EpiPen Jr 2-Pak^® contains two single auto-injectors, instructions for use and a training device, with no drug product or needle, to help patients become familiar with the administration technique. EpiPen Auto-Injector should be administered immediately at the first sign of an anaphylactic reaction. EpiPen Auto-Injector is not a substitute for emergency medical treatment. Patients should seek emergency medical attention immediately following administration. EpiPen Auto-Injector has been the No. 1 prescribed epinephrine auto-injector for more than 25 years and has three-step simple instructions for use. For more information about EpiPen Auto-Injector, please visit www.EpiPen.com.

About Mylan

Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to setting new standards in health care. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service excellence a habit; do what's right, not what's easy; and impact the future through passionate global leadership. We offer a growing portfolio of more than 1,300 generic pharmaceuticals and several brand medications. In addition, we offer a wide range of antiretroviral therapies, upon which approximately 40% of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries depend. We also operate one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and currently market products in approximately 140 countries and territories. Our workforce of more than 20,000 people is dedicated to improving the customer experience and increasing pharmaceutical access to consumers around the world. Learn more at mylan.com

About Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

More than 50 years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres and vibrant storytelling. His vision now includes a collection of five of the world’s leading family vacation destinations – Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan; Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France; and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, located on Lantau Island. A sixth resort, Shanghai Disney Resort, is currently under construction in Pudong New District, Shanghai. In addition, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to some of the world’s most popular destinations; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts, cruise ships, entertainment and attractions.

EpiPen^®, EpiPen Jr^®, EpiPen 2-Pak^® and EpiPen Jr 2-Pak^® are registered trademarks of Mylan Inc. licensed exclusively to its wholly-owned subsidiary, Mylan Specialty L.P.

SOURCE Mylan Inc. and The Walt Disney Company

For additional product information, please visit EpiPen.com.

Blogger Who?

As it has been a few years since I have been in the blogging field, I figured I would give a brief history of myself. If you are going to read or listen to what I have to say, it makes sense you should know at least a little about who you are talking to.

My name is Jessica. I grew up in Delaware close to Philadelphia. I have a Mom, Dad and little sister (I say little even though she is taller than me and 21 years old and I will always say little because as the big sister, it is one of the few things I can do).

I graduated from Neumann University as an Elementary Education and Special Education teacher with a minor in Music. My first year of teaching was in a school near my home and, to keep it blunt, it was a very difficult year in the public school system. I thought that I was a poor teacher and took the year roughly. As the year came to a close, I had found a new job and my adventure on my own began.

I had always wanted to move to Florida; besides the lovely warm temperatures for most of the year, one of my favorite places in the whole wide word is there -Walt Disney World. Since I was looking to re-evaluate my career, I figured it was the best time to make the move and start fresh. I packed up my things in the summer of 2012 with my family's help and moved to Kissimmee, Florida. I rented an apartment on my own and began a job working at the amazing Walt Disney World Resort. I made a great many friends and discovered how much I love being close to a main city with lots of activity and how awesome Florida is in general.

After working for nearly 2 years in the company, money began getting tight and while I searched for a second job, I stumbled upon the most lovely private school for students with special needs. I got a job as a long term substitute out of the blue and was offered a full time position for the fall. A lot of soul searching happened this past summer and I realized that teaching was the right path for me and while I tried at first to go part time or seasonal at Walt Disney World, it was not meant to be.

Oh, and if the stress of changing careers relatively randomly was not enough, I ran through the entire process of purchasing a house as well while this was all going on. And that is where my life is now, new home owner and a career as a High School Teacher to class of 10 wonderful students.

Through all of this I have had a huge pillar of support for the last 2 and a half years, my wonderful boyfriend, Mike. While we have had a long distance relationship for a good portion of our time together, he still has always found a way to take care of me no matter where he is. He is in his third year of medical school and is a huge catalyst to some of my more recent adventures. We both love to try new things and travel and learn together. Our most recent adventure? Trying to visit all of the lighthouses in Florida! (Yes, we have only seen 2 so far, but it is a start!)

Interests and hobbies? Well my biggest interest is Disney, I am fascinated by the workings of this company, even after having worked there for 2 years. The empire that Walt Disney created and the family values he centered it around are what keep people coming to those parks and I certainly hope to see those values continue. Besides Disney, I enjoy reading and books (I have a huge collection of those), cross stitching, cooking, crocheting, traveling and playing the flute, which I have been doing for over 20 years. I am not a huge movie/TV watcher, but I have recently gotten into Doctor Who. (Thus the title of this piece)

Things that I hope to learn to do and work on in the near future? Quilting out of T-shirts that I have, building bookshelves, making creme brûlée, and trying my hand at gardening come spring. All new adventures to try and that doesn't even count the places I want to travel to!

And, in case my writing style seems familiar at all, many people may know me by my previous blog persona, Lady Aurora. My previous blogging endeavor ended right before my move to Florida with The True Disney Fan. As you can guess by the name, my main focus for this website was everything Disney related. While I am sure I will talk about Disney with this blog as it is a large passion of mine, I would like a much more broader category to work in.

There is a bit about me! Any questions, feel free to leave comments below.

Welcome to the Adventure!

"Adventure is out there!"

I may be only 26 years old, but I have learned this statement to be oh so true. From changing careers and then changing back again to moving a thousand miles away from home all alone to buying my first house, I have had some adventures in my short few years of adulthood.

That is not to say, however, that I think I have seen or done a lot. I have been out of my country only 3 times and never out of my continent. I have never seen the Grand Canyon or gone camping. I have never cooked a whole turkey on my own or painted a picture. I know some of these sound like silly little things, but I honestly believe that every happening, no matter how small, can be an adventure. 

(Heck, today I put together the computer chair that I am currently sitting in by myself and that was quite an adventure! Took me ten minutes to figure out how to screw the back in while holding the arm rests against it and keeping it supported and straight as I tightened the screws. Let's just say that it doesn't look like I will have to do any yoga this evening.)

Life throws many opportunities at you and how you handle those opportunities really decides what kind of life you will have. If you get angry with them, life can sometimes be difficult and exhausting. If you are scared, you will spend life hiding away and not really living it. As for me, I am working on consciously making every opportunity seem like a new adventure to have. "Why" you may ask and my answer would be simply "Why not?".  Life is going to happen regardless of how we react to it. Why not react positively? What is the harm in that? 

And why on Earth am I saying all of this? Well, it's clearly the introduction to my blog. Any Adventure Goes will literally cover the adventures that I tackle within my life. One day I may be talking about this great movie I saw, the next day I will post a recipe that I have created and maybe the day after that I will have some review of a restaurant that I went to. I could post pictures of home renovations that I am making or a great lesson plan that I came up with. Every one of these would be a new adventure for me and what is the point of having adventures if you cannot share it?

I will look for discussion and feedback too! I am very social and would love new ideas to try and comments on what I have done so far, so send them my way!