My First Gingerbread House

WELCOME!

A few weeks ago I had the chance to make my first gingerbread house at a workshop at the amazing Makers Lab in Chicago. 

I totally recommend this place. They have different workshops all week and the people there are awesome, kind and very professional. They know a lot about what they do and they always try to help you and do their best. 

Here is the link to the web site where you can find more information about the workshops they have

http://www.chipublib.org/maker-lab/

This experience was amazing! I had a lot of fun and definitely I ton of candy. And the best part was that it was totally free as part of the workshop!

Here are some pictures! I hope you like them. 

Thank you so much for reading my blog 

I hope you like it 

Please don't forget to leave a comment and subscribe

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@Dunedain Girl 

Individual Stories

Brooklyn Bridge, New York
by Andrea Thompson

Illumination Show at the Morton Arboretum

About two weeks ago, my husband and I went to The Illumination Show at the Morton Arboretum and it was amazing!

We got there around 7:00 pm because my husband read some comments of people suggesting that it was less crowded around that time, which was actually true. There was quite a few people but it wasn't packed at all, which allowed us to enjoy and walk at our own pace. 

The lights were amazing and the place looked very beautiful because early that day, we had a snow storm, so everything was covered with a thick coat of snow. It was truly a winter wonderland. 

But ... unlucky for us it was freezing! If I remember correctly the temperature that night was around 25 degrees Fahrenheit. We had our big winter coats, snow boots, gloves and hats, we were quite prepared but yet still we were cold. 

I really wanted to take a lot of pictures but it was almost impossible because every time I took off my gloves to take a photo my hands would freeze and my skin would start hurting. But I did my best to take some photos anyways, I hope you like them. 

I know this photos aren't great, I didn't have my camera at the moment so I used my phone instead. 

Ornament Hill at Illumination

Believe me it is totally worth it. Just wear warm clothing, please! 

In here the lights were dancing around with the nutcracker melody. If I remember correctly. It was beautiful anyways. 

This could have been a great photo if I had used my camera instead but oh well, I think it looks nice anyways. Also, that night the moon was gorgeous.

How the illumination show works? 

It includes eleven stops along a mile-long pathway through the forest, over hills, and around a small lake. The trees are decorated with different color lights, some of them are statistic lighting up the trees but others dance around following the rhythm of the music being played at that moment.  

There are different kinds of instrumental music, but mostly classical and Christmas songs. 

Also along the pathway, there are some warming areas, where you can enjoy of a snack or have a delicious hot chocolate to warm up. 

Also, what was very cool is that you can find some fire places along the way, to get warm, relax and keep your journey.  

I totally recommend this! 

Here is the link to the site: http://www.mortonarb.org/

And this one will open the Illumination Show page where you can read more about it and find out schedules and tickets. 

http://www.mortonarb.org/news/illumination-experience

Thank you very much for stopping by and reading my blog. I hope you like this post, if so please feel free to comment and also follow me. Don't forget to subscribe and like this blog and post.

I really appreciate it. 

Have a great day! 

Talk to you soon 

@Dunedaingirl 

First Snowstorm 2015/2016

    COLD! it is cold outside ...

 I love snow! Personally I think it is very beautiful and it can create fantastic landscapes. 

First Snowstorm of  winter 2015/2016

A couple of weeks ago we had a snowstorm that lasted about a day and a half, providing us with a nice amount of snow. 

During the first day, my husband and I went outside with our dog to walk in the park. I was really happy and excited seeing the snow falling slowly from the sky, it was beautiful and the snow was perfect to built a snowman! I didn't do it because I wasn't wearing any gloves but I did throw some snowballs to my husband and a tiny little one to my dog, DON'T WORRY I didn't hurt anyone. 

The cutest dog in the whole world 

No one was hurt with this snow ball 

Everything was perfect for a few days, the snow made everything look amazing but once the weather began to change and the snow began to melt everything became quite dangerous.

Why? Well, the main roads and the sidewalks were cover with a thin layer of ice making it very slippery. 

I also found out that my winter boots are great for snow but not very good for ice, so every time I was walking outside I felt like a baby deer learning to walk for the first time. It is a little hard to get use to it, so I just need to be careful and walk slow. 

                                        

I think it is amazing how sometimes the snow sticks to everything! I think it makes it look very interesting and also a little bit unrealistic or movie like.

I'm sorry if this post is quite simple and short, I just wanted to share my thoughts and some photos!
Thank you very much for reading it!
Remember, if you liked it, please don't forget to follow me and subscribe.
Also, if you can, please click on the small Google+ button, that would help me a lot.

Have a great day!
Stay around, there are going to be more interesting post coming soon!

@Dunedaingril

DIY Zombie Survivor Halloween Costume

Halloween is around the corner and I am very excited about it!

For me, Halloween is a special day where everyone can unleash their creativity and the whole world becomes a movie set. People have the chance to become their favorite fictional character and everyone goes along with it, no one judges you and you can get a lot of candy.

But to be honest, this will be my very first "real" Halloween ever. Why?
Well, Halloween it is not a mexican tradition. It is a foreign holiday that we incorporated to our culture. So even thought we "celebrate" it, I'm positive it is not the same. We do have costume parties and kids go outside trick-or-treating, but most of the time streets would be empty and everyone would be doing something else on October 31st.
So, it is definitely not the same.

This year I've decided to be "A Zombie Apocalypse Survivor" . Inspired by the Resident Evil movies and the video game called The Last of Us.

This is a simple version to make your costume affordable and still look very good.

Let's begin ...

BOOTS 
During an apocalypse zombie comfortable footwear is very important. It will allow you to run when needed and be able to travel long distances easily. Boots can protect your legs from scratches and bites. Normally, people uses combat boots but it can be almost any type of boot you have.
Also remember this costume doesn't has to be expensive, so don't buy new boots (unless you are planning on it) wear what you have at home or borrow some from a friend. In my case I'll use my winter snow boots from "dirty laundry". I'm sure they will look good.

JEANS
In my opinion darker colors work better. Blue, brown or even green (more like an "army green")  be careful with this one, not all type of green look good, keep it dark. 
Another tip that can make your costume look very cool is finding jeans with small pockets on the sides. Remember during an apocalypse zombie, the more supplies you can carry the better.

T-SHIRT
From what I've seen in movies characters normally wear a simple short-sleeve T-shirt under a long sleeve. The color depends on the kind of jeans you are wearing.

COAT
A winter coat, black jacket, depending a lot of the weather at the place you live.

ACCESSORIES 
Watches, gloves, necklaces, glasses, sun glasses, bracelets, etc.

GUNS
BB guns work good. Also toy guns, they might not be realistic but they fulfill their purpose. Hand guns, machete, axes, crossbow, fake knifes, there are many options, but remember, NO REAL WEAPONRY.

GUN HOLSTER 
This makes your outfit look amazingly cool! A leg holster works wonders, there are many cheap options on amazon. Good quality cheap price. Also Sports Authority has some. Walmart does too but those need to be ordered online.

BACK PACK
An old back pack works wonders, also decorate it with pins, key chains, fake blood, flashlights, etc. Be creative!

SFX MAKE UP
Fake cuts, bandages slashed with fake blood.  Here are some tutorials I found online that might help you to get a "survivor" look

Dirty Face 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvggz-9M_94

FX Transfers (YOU CAN FIND THEM AT PARTY CITY)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYn9kK9ctM4   

  (I will use this ones on my face) 

And that's all guys!

I hope this tips can help you some how, don't forget to be creative and have FUN!
Have a wonderful HALLOWEEN!


@Dunedaingirl



           

OCTOBERLAND

October is one of my favorite months of the year. Everything around seems to turn orange and there is a mysterious vibe in the air due to all the Halloween decorations out there.

During fall, nature begins a new cycle where everything prepares for winter. Luckily for us, these changes bring up to the surface a vast variety of colors that create beautiful landscapes.

This photo was taking at the Morton Arboretum in Illinois.

In Mexico, where I used to live, the changes in color don't happen as dramatically as it do here, so I am very excited to see all the color!

Also, there are pumpkins EVERYWHERE!

I like pumpkins! They are shaped funny and that color can really hypnotize you!

October also means colder weather, which inspires me to make delicious soups with a Mexican flavor, like this one!

Mexican Veggie Soup 

If you want the recipe for this let me know in the comment section below.

October also means HALLOWEEN!

Which brings creativity to the streets on October 31st.
I love seeing all the decorations everywhere and trying on masks at the store.

Please don't forget to follow this blog, my Twitter account and my YouTube channel.
Thank you.

@Dunedaingirl

Surviving a Long Distance Relationship

Ladies and Gentleman ... it is possible! Quite difficult but POSSIBLE and I'm going to be talking from my personal experience here.

I met my husband a few years ago when I was still living in Mexico, so for a long time more than 1,300 miles kept us apart from each other.
Everything started with a very simple e-mail that led us to our happily ever after.
But even when our story has a happy ending, keeping a long distance relationship alive is not easy to do.

You are in a relationship but there are no hugs or kisses or evenings cuddling on the couch watching TV.  You can't go out on a date like all your friends do.  Weekends are long and normally boring and of course there is no physical contact.  Honestly, it can be so frustrating!
Sometimes it can feel like you are dating a ghost! You might even wonder, "Is this even worth it?" .... If you do, stop for a moment, take a deep breath and think ... if you really like, care, or love this person, believe me it is totally worth it.

Here are some points that might help you to keep your long distance relationship alive and growing to find a happy ending.

1.- TRUST THE PERSON YOU ARE DATING
This might seem like an easy step to remember, but believe me I've heard so many stories of couples with trust issues and they never end well.
Trust is a fundamental thing, not only for long distance relationships but relationships in general.
You both have made the conscious decision to be together, to be with someone you like and care about and both people should respect the relationship equally to not just keep it alive but make it grow.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are many jerks out there (or mean girls) who shouldn't be trusted, but would you even be with someone like that in the first place?

Trust your partner, but of course keep your eyes open for any warning signs.

2.-COMMUNICATION
I learned this the hard way but it is true, nobody in the entire world can read your mind. It doesn't matter how many "signals" you think you are sending or how obvious you think you are being, if you don't say it with your own words, there is a 99% chance the other person won't figure it out by themselves.
Don't keep feelings inside.  Whether good or bad, talk it out.
Let the other person know how you feel, communication is everything.

3.- ALWAYS BE HONEST AND BE RESPECTFUL
This one goes along with the other two I just wrote about. It is very important to be honest about your feelings and always respect your relationship and the person you are dating. Even though you guys are far away, you are in a relationship.  To everyone else around you, you are "taken"; there should be no more flirting or dating other people. Remember you have agreed to be with someone you like, so respect it.

4.- TECHNOLOGY
It doesn't matter how busy your day might be, there is always time to write/read a short message.
Use e-mails and IMs to keep in touch during the day.  It is very important to keep communicating as much as you can.
Have Skype/Face Time dates! You guys can have dinner at the same time and talk about your day through the web cam.  Believe me, it is fun to do.
And of course, as we know, there is Facebook, whatsapp, twitter, and many more! Use these tools and it can help you feel more "together".

5.- REMEMBER IMPORTANT DATES
Dates are important and even when you are far from each other it is not an excuse to not celebrate events like anniversaries, birthdays, achievements, or anything else that matters to the two of you. Celebrate the important things, or even small things.

6.- ROMANCE, LITTLE DETAILS AND SURPRISES
Be romantic!! As romantic as your personality allows you to be, of course.  Surprise the other person with a song, or a video, or a letter, a drawing, a scrapbook of your relationships; there are thousands of ideas on the internet!  Show him/her how much you care about them.
Don't let distance get in the way of romance. Keep the romance alive. Sexy conversations aren't a sin.
Believe me, it is important. It all depends on how far in the relationship you guys are and how comfortable you guys are with each other.


I hope this advice can help you somehow. Long distance relationships are difficult but not impossible.

Please feel free to leave a comment down below,
Do you have any more advice we can add to this list?
Did you like the content of this post?

Don't forget to follow my Twitter, YouTube channel and blog page.
@dunedaingirl

Moving to a different country

Like I mentioned on my last post I was born in Mexico quite a few years ago. But recently I got married and moved to Illinois to live with my amazing husband, truly the love of my life. We're a mexican/american couple so believe me there are many stories to tell.

Moving from one country to another is definitely not easy and adapting to a new life style can be quite difficult sometimes, but it is totally worth it when you've found love or if you are following your dreams, it depends on what situation you are at the moment.

For me was love, and it has been amazing!

But looking at the whole picture for a moment, moving to a different country can be scary and challenging! Am I right?

Sometimes when I look back, I see it like this ...
One morning I woke up in Mexico and had breakfast. Then I went to the airport and a few hours later I was speaking English and having dinner at 6:00 pm, also I was now Mrs. Wife and it was very very cold outside. Don't get me wrong I would't change anything about it but wow things changed big time.

The language you speak changes, some new traditions are added or maybe replaced by others, your life style changes even the people you meet every day is a little different from what you are used to and you probably had to leave behind friends, family, work, school, projects, many things,  right?

But what do you do when you feel overwhelmed by all that? Normally what I do is look at the reason why I'm doing all that for, like I said for me is my husband and the magnificent life we have together and everything that the future will bring, that gives me the strength to over come all those feelings, ... you can do it too, just remember why you are doing all those changes in your life and it will give you peace and comfort.

But also remember, your friends are still there (faraway, perhaps but still there for you and you for them) your family loves you very much and thanks to technology you can talk to them every single day if you wanted too!, there are tools like GOOGLE HANGOUTS, FACEBOOK, FACETIME, SKYPE, WHATSAPP and more, tools that can help you stay connected through message or video-chat.
I know all this tools are not "new" and probably you already know about them, but just don't forget staying connected is as simple as just  sending a text saying "Hello" now a days.

Don't forget that it might be not easy but is worth it!

In this blog I will try my best to share all this journey and adventures that this changes will bring, hopefully you will find it interesting enough to keep reading, don't forget to follow my blog, twitter and YouTube channel, where I will begin to upload new things soon.


@dunedaingirl

Welcome to my blog

Hello there! Yes, You! The awesome person who's reading this. Welcome to my blog!
Thank you very much for visiting this website, I really appreciate it. Please, feel free to stay, you might find something interesting here.

This is my very first post and honestly I feel very excited about it!

SPOILER ALERT!:  I would like to warn you people, my English might not be perfect in every single post, actually it might have some bad grammar or some misspellings, but I'm doing my best, I promise.  So YES, I am apologizing right now for anything that could come later.

You see, I'm a native Spanish speaker, I was born in Mexico, a country with a very vast culture and very nice people, despite of what Internet, stereotypes, and haters say.
Anyhow, around the age of twelve I decided to learn English, why? Just because I love it, I also love Japanese a lot but I won't write about it right now, I'll have a post dedicated to language and why I found them so interesting, later at some point.

But yes, my English is self-taught and honestly I like to believe it is quite good, I hope you think the same too.

Anyways, my name is Andrea and I currently live in Illinois with my husband.
I've created this blog to have a space where I can write and share my thoughts and ideas about the world and everything in it.
This is the first step of many more, in here you will find, short stories written by me, recipes in English and Spanish and a life diary.

To your right you will find the link to my YouTube Channel and also my twitter, please subscribe and follow me, I would really appreciate it. This is just starting so, be patient.

Welcome.

@Dunedaingirl