Of course no DP trip is short on fun and Melanie and I had a blast in the Big Apple. We were also guests of Microsoft at the launch of Office 2010 and once again, they were extremely gracious hosts. We enjoyed visiting with the other Office Insiders and Microsoft’s fantastic employees over four days in the city. Plus, we had time to take in NYC’s amazing cuisine (my favorite on earth) and some shopping!

Time to 365!

Aaress giving a presentation

The Office Insider Gals

Melanie & Aaress on Times Square

Dessert at Morimoto’s — warm flourless chocolate cake, caramel popcorn and rice crispies, sesame-caramel sauce, white chocolate foam, sweet potato chips, and spiced pear sorbet. AMAZING dish.

A fun breakfast at the hotel, Aaress & Melanie style

Beautiful flowers!

Good morning, New York City!

Head over to our Facebook page to see our photo album from the trip!

Finding a vacant power outlet in an airport is sometimes like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Unless, of course, you’re in a rare airport that made this a priority in the terminals. (Thank you, Charlotte!)

Recently while flying home from San Francisco, my airport electricity frustration reached an all-time high. While waiting to catch my flight, I pulled out my laptop to connect to my smartphone’s hotspot connection, only to discover that both of their batteries were almost drained. None daunted, I took out my tablet PC, only to discover it was running almost on empty as well. So there I sat with three devices badly in need of charging before a flight halfway across the USA.

Fortunately, I managed to find one free outlet. But that hardly solved the whole problem, as I had to pick and choose which device to power up in my limited amount of time.

But…..thanks to Lifehacker, I’ve stumbled across a great solution:

FYI, speaking from past personal experience, the TSA will not confiscate a power strip in your carry-on.

(photo credit: mccun934)

Inner Princess at THSC is one of our favorite things to do each year and we were so blessed by having a chance to spend time with fifty wonderful eleven and twelve year-old girls.

For more information about Inner Princess, take a look at this video that THSC produced:

One of our favorite things to do in the summer is to help organize Vacation Bible School. It gives us a great opportunity to not only share the Gospel with precious little ones, but also help mentor and work with the young people of our church.

Images taken by Brittany Lyon

Take a break from work for a few hours and enjoy our ultimate collection of chocolate chip cookie dough dessert recipes. Your taste buds will thank you.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (Brown Eyed Baker)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake (Something Shiny)

Deep Fried Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls (Food Network)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip (The Way to His Heart)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (The Girl Who Ate Everything)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake (Mel’s Kitchen Cake)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffle Pops (Bakerella)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwiches (Sugar Bean Bakers)

 
Melanie, Alison, and I see eye-to-eye on a lot of different things, especially when it comes to loving our Lord and serving Him through our work. But when it comes to food likes and dislikes, well, that can sometimes be a completely different story.

Alison, it would seem, has a serious aversion to squash. While I can understand that as I’ve never been partial to the slimy little veggies, Melanie likes squash. On the other hand, Melanie has an immense dislike for cilantro*, one of my FAVORITE herbs.

As for me, well, Melanie raises her eyebrows when I say I’m not a picky eater, but to my defense, I am allergic to a lot of foods. And one never knows when one might develop an allergy to things like avocados, raisins, and bananas. So, in theory, it is best to just avoid items I don’t like as to not make the list grow any longer.

But there’s one thing that all three of us share a common foodie bond over—rainbow sprinkles.

I was so excited to discover that Alison was a sprinkle kindred spirit. Not that I needed any further proof that she was perfect for our team, but that reinforced it! I already had fond memories revolving around sprinkles with Melanie, from trips to the store for pints of ice cream, sorbet, and sprinkles, to eating fistfuls of sprinkles while working just because.

So when I saw this cake on Alison’s Pinterest, I just HAD to repin it to DP’s account. I instantly thought of Melanie and made a mental note to show it to her. But sadly, I forgot all about it. . . until yesterday.

I was sitting in my recliner, enjoying a quiet evening when all of a sudden, Melanie popped up on chat with an “ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Bracing myself to hear about a crisis of epic proportions, I was happily relieved to discover that she had stumbled onto the sprinkle cake on her own and was “totally in like.” (That’s Melanie’s much more mature response to being wowed, compared to me falling “totally in love” with random objects on a near daily basis, whether it’s a new app, Eddie Bauer shirt, or a brand of sweet potato tortilla chips.)

Needless to say, Melanie and I agree that it would make a stellar wedding cake, complete with a coconut cake filling.

In the meanwhile, I think we need to practice decorating and sampling so we’ll have the cake picture perfect for that big day.

Now, where did I put that jar of sprinkles . . .

(original source and image credit: Jessica Hardy)

*Editor’s Note: Since this was posted, Melanie informs me that she’s “grown back into” cilantro. In other words, she doesn’t dislike it any more, but doesn’t exactly love it either. I’m convinced, however, that she’ll come around sooner or later!

Somehow holding window paint in my hand and looking at a blank window takes me back to my childhood and the excitement of opening a new box of crayons and the first page of a new coloring book. **Sigh of Happiness** Another thing I like about windows and window paint is that it’s ERASABLE! All I need is window cleaner and paper towels to make my canvas ready to decorate again. Windows, mirrors—any kind of glass works great.

Here’s the most recent adventure with the window paint, inspired by Psalm 37:7. The pink is a new color!

]]> http://www.duoparadigms.com/2012/04/26/color-love/feed/ 0 http://www.duoparadigms.com/2012/03/06/getting-to-know-aaress/ http://www.duoparadigms.com/2012/03/06/getting-to-know-aaress/#comments Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:05:12 +0000 Aaress http://www.duoparadigms.com/?p=1942 We hope you’ve been enjoying this mini-blog series! Ready to work with our team? Contact us today!

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Aaress!

What’s your favorite color?
Moss Green

What’s your favorite font?
Trebuchet. I love the way it looks, plus the French name is pretty cool, too!

Coffee or Tea?
Almost any kind of herbal tea — no sugar.

Cheesecake or Ice Cream?
Either! I’m allergic to dairy, so I’d love to eat either one!

What’s your favorite Bible verse?
“And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” Exodus 9:16

Who is your favorite historical figure?
That’s tough to narrow down!

My favorite Bible historical character is Nehemiah. I can’t wait to sit down with this guy in heaven and have a nice long chat! I love how Max Lucado summed him up in Lucado’s introduction to the book of Nehemiah:

“You are about to meet the Abraham Lincoln of the Old Testament. A respected leader with a tender heart. You will see his tears in the oval office as he weeps for people oppressed and vulnerable.

You are about to meet the General George Patton of the Old Testament. A rugged leader. Intolerant of compromise. Relentless in demanding perfection.

You are about to meet the Winston Churchill of the Old Testament. A statesman. Tested and tried. Resisting the enemies who seek to lure him away from the task. Rising above the squabbling factions who could distract him.

The tenderness of Lincoln. The fire of Patton. The savvy of Churchill. All found in the same man. Nehemiah.”

As for modern history, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower. A dedicated and brilliant man, Ike faced the challenge of being a leader during some of the most turbulent times in history. All the while, faithfully serving at his side, was the love of his life and always loyal helpmeet, Mamie.

What’s your favorite clothing store?
Eddie Bauer

What hobbies do you enjoy when you’re not working?
Couponing, reading Michael Phillips novels and lots and lots of biographies, baking, watching epic sporting events, traveling, playing with new technology and apps, doing fun projects with my family, and catching up with friends.

What inspired you to work in public relations?
I love helping people reach their full potential and find true success—God’s success.

The best part of being a public relations consultant is……
Getting to work with so many amazing clients, businesses, and ministries. This job is NEVER boring and always has new adventures, learning opportunities, challenges, and very rewarding moments.

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Alison!

What’s your favorite color?
I really love shades of light blue, green, and peach!

What’s your favorite font?
That’s a tough question because I think it changes every month or so. Currently one of my favorite fonts is Clarendon. It actually was first published in 1845 and then was reworked in 1953. It has a classic old-world feel that I just love incorporating into my work these days.

Another one of my favorites is Feel Script. I used this typeface when designing my wedding invitations! It has a such a sweet retro feminine appeal that is so fun to work with.

Coffee or Tea?
I really love both! However, I am from Alabama and southern, sweet tea is very hard to beat!

Cheesecake or Ice Cream?
I would have to say cheesecake…with ice cream on the side.

What’s your favorite Bible verse?
Proverbs 3: 3-6: “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Who’s your favorite historical figure?
Corrie ten Boom. The bravery, strength, and peace that she walked in amazes me.

“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.” Corrie ten Boom

What’s your favorite clothing store?
I love LOVE Anthropolgie…but don’t get me wrong there is nothing like finding a great deal at TJMAXX.

What hobbies do you enjoy when you’re not working?
I enjoy working out, exploring the outdoors, going on walks with our golden retriever Ellie, coffee shops, praying, studying the Bible, cooking, blogging, and always spending time with my precious husband Luke.

What inspired you to work in graphic design?
My dad! My whole childhood he kept a pen in his shirt pocket where he could always sketch designs and ideas onto napkins at restaurants or any other drawing surface. It was also so special to see him sketch up his latest idea or invention. He is a very talented painter, drawer, and industrial designer. Currently is an Industrial Design professor at Auburn University.

When I was in high school he would check me out of school to go see his students present their design projects and hear other design professionals speak. This sparked my interest in design so upon my acceptance to Auburn I decided to pursue graphic design. Even though I did not choose to major in “industrial” design all of my design classes were in the same building that my father taught in. It was so neat to have him help coach me along in the way in my design efforts. To this day is he is still encouraging in my designs!

The best part of being a graphic designer is……
The ability to create and make beautiful things with my hands. I love that God, Creator of heaven and earth gives His children the ability to also create. It is my desire to be used by God through my talents and creativity to serve others and love Him in return!

Ready to work with Alison and the rest of the DP team? Contact us today!