my most recent project

my "aha" moment!

so i've had an epiphany (everytime i use that word i think of chrisette michele haha)! since i am getting ready to graduate, the question everyone keeps asking me what i'm going to do with my life lol. i didn't really have a single answer for them because i feel like there are so many options in life that i can't just pick one thing i'd like to do. i don't like feeling limited, ya know?! but as i was going through the list of things i'd enjoy doing forever, there was always one common denominator: helping people. no matter what career path i imagined, it always came back to helping people. be it through small efforts or large, i truly just enjoy helping other people. so with that said, can you guess what i want to be when i grow up?? well i'll tell you: i want to be a humanitarian. and i don't care if i'm never publicly recognized for my efforts because it is satisfaction enough to know that helped someone else who needed it. seriously. i know that sounds a little cliche or ambitious or whatever, but it is what i have decided. just wanted to share that with you. now that i've acknowledged my path, i also realize that i'm going to have to find ways to fund my passion of helping other people hahaha...but i will worry about that in the days to come Peace Love Blessings AMB(itious) p.s. the video has absolutely nothing to do with this post haha, i just added it to my youtube page so i'm putting it here as well

just a moment, please

i take way too much time between my blog updates. i always have the intention to update it at least once a week, and i almost get it done....but everybody knows almost doesn't count (thanks for those fine words from Brandy).
i think the main reason i haven't blogged recently because nothing too much has been going on. aside from our show HAMMERTIME on A&E (which had its season finale this past sunday), i've just been going to classes and trying to keep up with school work. i will be finished with summer classes soon but then it's time for the fall semester to start so...adios to my summer vacation haha. it's not all bad though. i just went to Houston this weekend with my my good friend and we had fun.
i know many of y'all who read my blog also follow me on twitter, and i see that a few of you have requested vegetarian recipes...i have no problem sharing my food ideas with y'all but for the most part i just take recipes off-line then end up doctoring them to my specific taste. i just keep adding to or subtracting from the original until i get what i want. so i suppose in that way, it is uniquely my own recipe. but i don't measure things, so i don't know how to tell you what i added haha. i'll try though ;-)
a lot of you have also been asking me about this hot yoga that i do. i don't think it's really called "hot yoga" but that's what i call it. it's a yoga class, usually consisting of 34 poses, that is done in a room that is about 90-100 degrees and 50-60% humidity. i have always wanted to do yoga and this method seems to be really good for me. i recommend you try it at least once. just look for studios near you, and make sure the instructors are well-trained so that you don't injure yourself. i got my twin-darlings and my girl Krys to try it out with me and i think they like it so far.
oh my goodness i watched this show called Dance Your A** Off on monday night and i loved it. if you follow me on twitter then you should know by now how much i love to dance! i went salsa dancing last night actually. anyway, the show is amazing and i want to be on it hahaha. i don't remember what channel but i'm gonna find it again. the video below is of sammy dancing his little behind off on stage at my dad's concert in vegas!
well i think you are pretty up to date with my life. if you don't already, follow me on twitter or friend me on facebook or check out my YouTube channel if you wanna see some of the videos i've posted (i'm gonna post a new one either today or tomorrow, i promise). hmmmm, what else...i think you can catch the re-runs of the show during random times of the day or ON DEMAND. that is all for now my darlings.

peace love & blessings
AMB

Veggie Fajitas from HAMMERTIME

ok my dearest darlings, you asked for it so here it is! this is the recipe for the fajitas i cooked on the show last night. they could be considered vegan i think if you don't add any animal products for your toppings or side dishes.

no before i give you the recipe you must understand one thing: i cooked these for CARNIVORES hahaha! i say that because i made them extra hearty so my family wouldn't miss the meat. oh and i should just tell you now that i don't measure things or write them down when i cook so i'm just going to give you all the ingredients, then you can season to taste when it comes to spices. sorry if you don't like this method but it's the way i cook. plus it should be fun for you to experiment. and if you end up hating it, my feelings won't be hurt. i'm just glad you gave it a try anyway ;-)

1 large sweet onion
3 bell peppers (of varying colors to make the dish pretty haha)
1 zucchini
1 container of fresh, pre-sliced mushrooms (canned works but fresh are better)
fresh cilantro
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernel sweet corn
olive oil
taco/fajita seasoning packet
chili powder
cumin
salt
pepper
fajita tortillas (i prefer corn but most people like flour)
shredded cheese
salsa
guacamole
sour cream


i suggest that you buy organic produce but it's not a necessity. so you can start by chopping all the veggies. the bell peppers should be cut into strips (like strips of fajita chicken or steak). and you can leave the mushrooms since they are already pre-cut, or you can half them again.
saute the onions first in the olive oil, adding in the bell peppers, then zuchinni, and lastly the mushrooms & cilantro. add the seasonings (except cumin), but be careful with the chili powder since it revs up the spicy factor. let cook for a while til veggies are coated in the seasonings and tender, but don't overcook!
in a separate pot, combine the beans and corn. season them with the cumin, salt & pepper. the reason i make it in another pan is because i don't like the beans to be all over everything else. plus it gives you a little control over how hearty you want these fajitas to be. now you're done!
if you warm the tortillas in an oven first, i've found that they're easier to handle. to plate it presentably, put down a tortilla then the bean/corn combo (or not if you don't want to), then add the veggie mix. finish with your favorite toppings. i personally like everything except sour cream.

i hope y'all enjoy the fajitas. these are just the bones of the recipe, add your own touches plus your family to make it genuinely yours ;-)

AMB

update update UPDATE!

it's about time, right?!if you follow me on twitter then you know i have been talking about updating my blog for some time now. and of course, at 2:27am i am sitting here blogging, night time is the right time, people!

so what have i been up to, you may ask? i have just mostly been focusing on summer classes here at UT Austin. Oh and also our family show Hammertime premiered on June 14th @10/9C on A&E and there will be another new episode this sunday, so tune in (please & thank you!).

let's see, what else?! hmmm...i went to las vegas with my family last weekend, and it was amazing! my dad put on a great show (as ever), sarah, jeremiah and i got to sing, while booby got down with papa bear on the dance moves! then, to sum it all up, i got to spend father's day with the most amazing man in the world, my daddy. nothing is better than family, always remember that.

i'm sure there are other things that occurred in my life but i can't remember haha. i will keep you updated much more often. but also follow me on twitter, i tweet throughout the day so that's a good way to keep in contact with me. have a good night y'all

AMB

short & sweet

just wanted to put up a quick post before i go to sleep. since my last post, i have been spending a lot if time with my family. i traveled to Mississippi for my cousin's graduation, came back to austin for my roommate's grad (plus some other good friends), and this past weekend i went home to California for my little bother's grad from 8th grad and my cousin's high school grad. i took my good friend home with me and she got to meet the crazy fam, she says she had a good time. i will post some pictures soon.

also, the HammerTime A&E website has been updated with some cool new info, where you can see family photos and get some brief introductions to each family member. i can't wait for the show to start! June 14th @10/9C.

well that's all for now! more to come, but i'm super tired right now so i'm gonna get some sleeeeeeeeepppp. buenas noches

AMB

oh yes, i made it!

i had my two exams today, one in biology and one in english literature, and now i am finally finished for the semester. i feel pretty good about the EngLit test, i was able to write some very detailed answers about the majority of the questions asked. but then came the bio exam, ruining everything i was happy about. i studied, but it seems i studied things not asked on the exam. that's the problem with multiple choice, you can't explain or reason your way through. just bubble in an answer. but what is done is done, and "que sera, sera." i can't change what i've already finished so there is no use in worrying myself about it. plus, i'm glad to be finally finished for the semester!

so now i am just chillin, taking a little time to relax and unwind after all the tension of my studies. it was definitely more of a challenge than i expected keeping up with my schoolwork this semester. and summer school is right around the corner, so i don't have that much of a break ahead of me. but that's alright, you know what they say about idle hands...so i like to stay busy.

i'm so excited and proud that two of my cousins will be graduating from high school this month! Big achievement, and keep on striving for more knowledge. Congratulations Shanterrica Graham and Jamaris Knighten!! i love y'all both, and will be there to see you accept your diplomas. so that means i have some traveling in my very near future ;-)

that is all for now my darlings, have a good weekend.

AMB

HammerTime

that's right! y'all know what time it is haha! i was so excited when i saw the commercial for our show for the first time today. the website is still under construction at A&E but you can check it out, watch the commercial. HammerTime will premiere on Sunday June 14th at 10/9C so tune in to see me and my wonderful family! i will hit you with more info as i get it.

now i am usually all smiles so i don't know how i wasn't smiling in this picture. i must have been focusing very hard on being serious, which is no easy task when you're on set with my family! the photo shoot was super fun and i can't wait for y'all to see what characters my family members are!

http://www.aetv.com/hammertime <-- go there to see the website and commercial

AMB

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I have to dedicate this post to my beautiful mommy, Stephanie, whom i love so much. She is my heart, and one of the strongest women i know. it is an honor to know her, and a blessing to be her child. she is a shining example of everything a mother, wife, daughter, and sister should be. I truly know that God tipped the scales in my favor when I was born to this woman, because there is nothing a person can do to deserve someone who loves them so much and so well! I love you mama, and I will always strive to be the woman you are and have raised me to be!

Happy Mother's Day

AMB

School's out!!

yessss!! school is done. well for this semester. and i don't know why i'm even that excited, because i have 2 finals on May 16th, and then i start summer school not too long after that. but whatever, let me not rain on my own parade.

this is a picture one of my friends snapped while we were out celebrating the end of the semester. we were dancing up a storm haha, and i had a good time just being out and not worrying about anything being due for one of my classes!

i want to take this time to say congratulations
to all my friends who are graduating this semester. i am more proud of y'all than you know, and i can't wait to see all of you succeed in your future endeavors. i will be moving onward and upward with y'all soon enough.

so now i'm about to go do some hot yoga, then i'm gonna keep organizing my life and getting everything at my house in order. i feel so displaced because my room is a mess and things are not where they should be, so i need to handle that ASAP.

AMB

why am i awake?!?

the answer to that question eludes me! but since i am awake, i just decided to make & post this video. a bit ridiculous of me to be making vids so late, i know. well i'm going to sleep now anyway, then i will write a complete entry some point after i wake up!


AMB

and another

this is basically a continuation of last post...here is another picture of us on the beautiful north shores of Hawaii. it's my little sis Sarah and i, and i think my dad took this pic on his iphone, uploaded via twitpic. i had sooo much fun! y'all will have to watch the show to see our good times & crazy fun!

AMB

Caught in the act!!

of surfing, that is! well actually, i'm kinda doing more chillin than surfing in this pic haha. my family and i were at turtle bay resort in hawaii, working on our show and i guess someone snapped a picture of me lookin a mess on my surf board! i wasn't concerned in the least bit with how cute (or should i say not lol) i was out there, because i was having a blast! if you've never surfed, i recommend you try it at least once, it's an amazing feeling.

someone told me i was posted on this site so i had to check it out. i will often post other things i find about myself on the internet, so you can check back here to see what's going on and what's true or not. promise to do my best to sort fact from fiction ;-)

AMB

it's about time!

dear darlings (i think that's my new fave term or endearment),

i am finally sitting down to give you a necessary update of what's going on with me. i already apologized for the months of down time so that's out of the way! Whew, i'm assuming you forgive me if you're reading this, but you know what they say about assuming haha...

anyway, i am very excited to announce that my family and i will be premiering in a show on A&E called Hammertime! it's gonna be great, and i'm super excited about it. the show starts in June (i will get you a more specific date as soon as i'm sure) so look out for us!

next line of business is this whole school thing. i am sooo ready for the semester to be over. don't get me wrong, i'm as geeky as they come and i love learning, but i am just so done with this semester. it's gone by quickly but at the same time not quick enough (if that makes any sense). i still have 2 major projects, a presentation, a short research paper, an evaluation, plus 3 final exams (*takes a breath*). just wanted to vent about that for a sec but now i'm good.

lastly, i should be packing right now, getting ready for my flight that's in less than 5 hours. i am currently in California at home with the family (we had to shoot a commercial and wrap some things up for the show), but i'm heading back to Austin to make it back in time for classes monday morning. Yeesh, talk about craziness!

well darlings, that's all for now. and i will really try to be better about this whole keep-my-blog-up-to-date thing ;-)

much love,
AMB (those would be my initials)

***under construction***

this is just a quick blurb to let you know that i will be updating my blog TOMORROW...this is soon to become the only place i post my videos and important news! thanks for staying with me, much love!!

--a'keiba

broken resolution!

9 days into the new year and one of my resolutions are already broken! i said that i wanted to blog daily but obviously that hasn't happened haha! it has been 4 days since my last post....that's ok, i hope i am forgiven...

i am now back in austin, chillin with my girls and just having a good time. but most importantly i am getting things in order and ready for the semester. i had to borrow some cables from my neighbor so i could jumpstart my car lol, and i also had to get some air in my tires. i still haven't started unpacking yet but i have only been here a day so that's not too bad.

my friends video'd my ordeal of trying to use the jumper-cables and i will post that as soon as i load it from my camera. well that is all...this is a pic from my last night in California with my two favorite men!

love!

what's coming up?

nothing much to blog about today. i was going to post one yesterday after church but i didn't have any new pictures uploaded from my camera. but i stayed up late last night and uploaded some stuff, so here is a recent pic of me.

i will be heading back to austin in a week, so i'm getting ready for that. i'm excited to watch UT in the Fiesta Bowl a little later today!

well that's pretty much it for now...

ciao

2009 is gonna be oh-so-fine!

i really cannot believe that it is already 2009! with the start of every new year comes those ridiculous resolutions, goals we set for ourselves that are somehow unattainable. i'm going for things that are challenging but also realistic. my top 5? let's see....

1. get in the best shape i can, both physically and mentally
2. get at least a 3.8 GPA this semester
3. save at least 10% of all the money i make
4. consistently further my skills and talents (write music, work on video projects, blog daily lol)
5. raise enough money to send myself to Costa Rica for 3 weeks, to help teach english to children in rural areas (more info to come on this project soon!)

we're just 3 days into the new year, and i already know for a fact that some exciting things will be taking place. as some may know i was supposed to be going to england to study abroad this semester, but i have postponed that trip, replacing it with an amazing opportunity. what is it, you may ask...well i don't want to tell you just yet, but you can be sure that this is the first place i will put all the details. and when the whole thing starts, this will be where i add all details and constantly update.

anyone have any other rez's that you wanna share? if you post them, we can hold each other accountable for achieving them haha. check up on me and ask me how much progress i've made toward my goals, and i will do the same for you!

peace & love