A's in both of my classes and now on to a well deserved summer break and GenCon starting up next week. John is very excited!
I've been enjoying yoga and zumba each week and hopefully during the break I can add another yoga class and a kickboxing one. I'm also going to be adding in P90x as much as I can and trying to take advantage of the time. Almost to my birthday! It's a big one this year and I'd like to shape up a little bit.
Cooking has been minimal since I don't have tons of time. My little Black-Eyed Susan has been pretty wilty after almost one full month of 90 degree temperatures.
In all other things in our life we are trying to remain positive and relax and see what happens. Not much else we can do. :)
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Keeping busy
Up early early today. My final speech is on Monday and I'm doing it about CAFOs again. I feel pretty ashamed that I haven't taken the time to get up and go to the farmer's market and get humane options even when I feel so strongly about an issue. No time like the present to rectify that. We're trying to eat on a diet at the present and sadly this week I don't have a vegetarian option for us.
Breakfasts - Strawberry breakfast shake - need milk
Lunches - Veggie burgers or Chef salad - need eggs
Dinners - 2x Hamburgers, 2x Spicy Tofu, 2x Fajitas - need hamburgers, ground pork and chicken breasts
I was able to find all of that at the market. I always forget that natural chicken breasts are so much smaller than conventional. We will have to fill our fajitas up with a good amount of onions and peppers! One thing I didn't find at the market was 1% milk. The local dairy only sells whole milk. I wonder if I buy that I can dilute it with water or if there's just no alternative option.
On a side note, studying for my speech I realized that the brand Dean owns the majority of dairy products in the USA and markets them under a variety of different brand names. John's favorite dip is Dean. :(
After the market and the freezer asap because it is still 90+ out here, I went to the Carmel Petco to start this new volunteer program. It's for a group called Rescue Me. I've been feeling a strong desire to get involved with volunteering again. I did some as a child and also some immigrant ESL tutoring as a young 20 year old. Our lives are so hectic with school and work that it has been hard to figure a way to fit everything in. I found the opportunity on VolunteerMatch. It's pretty small; I don't think they even have a website. I go in and clean 6 cat cages in a Petco, takes about an hour every Saturday or Sunday. The program has someone go in every day to visit the cats so the cages aren't really nasty. The hope is that someone will come to Petco and just adopt them out of there.
It seems like a great program and is such a light commitment. Plus I LOVE cats. I could stay in there and pet them for hours. We had 2 kittens today and then 2 sisters that came from a lady who had to go to a nursing home, a boy and then 1 other. They were all so sweet. If only Bonnie wasn't so territorial and John didn't put his foot down about more cats, I would TOTALLY adopt another. I hope I will be able to keep this up because helping animals is something I really care about.
After the shelter, I took Gavin to McDonald's play area and let him run around with the kids for 2 hours while his dad was home working on his homework. Too bad McDonald's is the only place Gavin likes to go. We had ice cream afterwards. He had blackberry and I had cookie dough from Sundae's, a really tasty little local ice cream shop. Daddy got Reese's of course.
Stopped at the Asian grocery to pick up cans of Arroy-D green curry, baby corns and bamboo shoots. Green curry in a can is becoming a staple meal. Takes only the amount of time to cook the rice. That curry really tastes like what you get in a Thai restaurant, just add chicken and rice and good to go. The curry paste they sell never ends up tasting the same way. John dutifully eats the vegetables I mix in (usually green beans) but I've discovered he's sort of nuts over bamboo shoots. So I bought him an extra can. They ARE a vegetable and I have to figure out how to add those in so we love our meal instead of just eat it because THE WIFE makes us.
I'm going to blame it on the heat but I took a 2 hour nap and it was fabulous. Sadly waking up sweaty really stinks. Next week is supposed to be 80s and I sure hope it will be or I may die. I was watching youtube videos of people cooking eggs on sidewalks and cars. That's when you know it is TOO hot.
I have some schoolwork to do but it is pretty mild. I studied the crap out of this quarter and while I have a final approaching on Thursday in my Microbiology course, I'm just going to lightly review. I like my memory. When I am nuts about something I really commit it to memory. Reviewing will just take a little bit. Got a 94% on my last lab test and 107% on chapter exam 3. I think I can fail the final and still get an A. :)
Tonight we are going to John's mother's house to get an audience for his online speech course. He is going to do a speech on aliens. I think when his speech course is over, we are going to be sad. It has been a lot of fun to visit his mother, sister and her family every 2 weeks for his speeches. We'll have to figure out how to work the time in to get over there more often. Wish it wasn't a 45min drive one way.
Upcoming is our break and we are *fingers crossed* going to get into the fitness routine for at least 3 weeks before fall semester starts up.
Breakfasts - Strawberry breakfast shake - need milk
Lunches - Veggie burgers or Chef salad - need eggs
Dinners - 2x Hamburgers, 2x Spicy Tofu, 2x Fajitas - need hamburgers, ground pork and chicken breasts
I was able to find all of that at the market. I always forget that natural chicken breasts are so much smaller than conventional. We will have to fill our fajitas up with a good amount of onions and peppers! One thing I didn't find at the market was 1% milk. The local dairy only sells whole milk. I wonder if I buy that I can dilute it with water or if there's just no alternative option.
On a side note, studying for my speech I realized that the brand Dean owns the majority of dairy products in the USA and markets them under a variety of different brand names. John's favorite dip is Dean. :(
After the market and the freezer asap because it is still 90+ out here, I went to the Carmel Petco to start this new volunteer program. It's for a group called Rescue Me. I've been feeling a strong desire to get involved with volunteering again. I did some as a child and also some immigrant ESL tutoring as a young 20 year old. Our lives are so hectic with school and work that it has been hard to figure a way to fit everything in. I found the opportunity on VolunteerMatch. It's pretty small; I don't think they even have a website. I go in and clean 6 cat cages in a Petco, takes about an hour every Saturday or Sunday. The program has someone go in every day to visit the cats so the cages aren't really nasty. The hope is that someone will come to Petco and just adopt them out of there.
It seems like a great program and is such a light commitment. Plus I LOVE cats. I could stay in there and pet them for hours. We had 2 kittens today and then 2 sisters that came from a lady who had to go to a nursing home, a boy and then 1 other. They were all so sweet. If only Bonnie wasn't so territorial and John didn't put his foot down about more cats, I would TOTALLY adopt another. I hope I will be able to keep this up because helping animals is something I really care about.
After the shelter, I took Gavin to McDonald's play area and let him run around with the kids for 2 hours while his dad was home working on his homework. Too bad McDonald's is the only place Gavin likes to go. We had ice cream afterwards. He had blackberry and I had cookie dough from Sundae's, a really tasty little local ice cream shop. Daddy got Reese's of course.
Stopped at the Asian grocery to pick up cans of Arroy-D green curry, baby corns and bamboo shoots. Green curry in a can is becoming a staple meal. Takes only the amount of time to cook the rice. That curry really tastes like what you get in a Thai restaurant, just add chicken and rice and good to go. The curry paste they sell never ends up tasting the same way. John dutifully eats the vegetables I mix in (usually green beans) but I've discovered he's sort of nuts over bamboo shoots. So I bought him an extra can. They ARE a vegetable and I have to figure out how to add those in so we love our meal instead of just eat it because THE WIFE makes us.
I'm going to blame it on the heat but I took a 2 hour nap and it was fabulous. Sadly waking up sweaty really stinks. Next week is supposed to be 80s and I sure hope it will be or I may die. I was watching youtube videos of people cooking eggs on sidewalks and cars. That's when you know it is TOO hot.
I have some schoolwork to do but it is pretty mild. I studied the crap out of this quarter and while I have a final approaching on Thursday in my Microbiology course, I'm just going to lightly review. I like my memory. When I am nuts about something I really commit it to memory. Reviewing will just take a little bit. Got a 94% on my last lab test and 107% on chapter exam 3. I think I can fail the final and still get an A. :)
Tonight we are going to John's mother's house to get an audience for his online speech course. He is going to do a speech on aliens. I think when his speech course is over, we are going to be sad. It has been a lot of fun to visit his mother, sister and her family every 2 weeks for his speeches. We'll have to figure out how to work the time in to get over there more often. Wish it wasn't a 45min drive one way.
Upcoming is our break and we are *fingers crossed* going to get into the fitness routine for at least 3 weeks before fall semester starts up.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Making my way through the quarter
One lab test, lecture test, final lab, final lecture and I'm done! Ugh 4 tests all in a row! Tomorrow is my DNA informative speech. I'm still quite pleased that I was able to do a speech on something I was studying in microbiology lessening how much I have to study. My final speech is going to be on CAFOs which is something I wrote a paper on last quarter.
This is the fourth week I've been going with my coworker to Zumba and yoga. Yoga is a blast. Zumba is a waste of time. But it IS nice to get out of the house and get moving. Exercise is going well and I will have the time to do 3 weeks of P90x when the quarter is over. I'm really looking forward to it and I'm hoping that my current fitness will help it be less painful. As always I really need to tighten up on my diet especially late night eating. Go to bed at 10:30 Emily!
Finally I'm trying to figure out if I am going to continue with dental hygiene or pursue biotechnology.
Dental Hygiene
Pros - high probability of making 60k in 2 years, solid, reliable, growing profession, I have this all planned out
Cons - I'm not passionate about it, I will have to stop working to attend, I have to be accepted into the program
Biotechnology
Pros - very interesting field, prestigious, I would be able to graduate a year earlier than dental hygiene, it isn't a competitive program, allows up to a graduate degree if I were so inclined
Cons - I would probably have to work for companies that I have found to be morally questionable, money amount after 2 years is lower than dental hygiene, I'd have to tell everyone I changed my mind
Not huge problems but a little frustrating. I wonder if I will EVER be able to settle my mind on to ONE thing that I want to do.
This is the fourth week I've been going with my coworker to Zumba and yoga. Yoga is a blast. Zumba is a waste of time. But it IS nice to get out of the house and get moving. Exercise is going well and I will have the time to do 3 weeks of P90x when the quarter is over. I'm really looking forward to it and I'm hoping that my current fitness will help it be less painful. As always I really need to tighten up on my diet especially late night eating. Go to bed at 10:30 Emily!
Finally I'm trying to figure out if I am going to continue with dental hygiene or pursue biotechnology.
Dental Hygiene
Pros - high probability of making 60k in 2 years, solid, reliable, growing profession, I have this all planned out
Cons - I'm not passionate about it, I will have to stop working to attend, I have to be accepted into the program
Biotechnology
Pros - very interesting field, prestigious, I would be able to graduate a year earlier than dental hygiene, it isn't a competitive program, allows up to a graduate degree if I were so inclined
Cons - I would probably have to work for companies that I have found to be morally questionable, money amount after 2 years is lower than dental hygiene, I'd have to tell everyone I changed my mind
Not huge problems but a little frustrating. I wonder if I will EVER be able to settle my mind on to ONE thing that I want to do.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Exhausted
I feel tired this weekend and nothing reflects the exercise and somewhat good eating I did these past few days. Halfway through my summer semester and I'm already exhausted. I love MB so much but I can't let the idea of being a biotech major sway me from dental hygiene. One equals a rabbit trail, working for companies I despise and INCREDIBLY interesting field of work. The other equals a steady but boring income for my family which needs it so much. And I need to lose 50 lbs and dye my hair blonde to fit in.
I always feel grumpy on Mondays.
I always feel grumpy on Mondays.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Baumkuchen
My cake turned out fantastic! I have to refrigerate it now and ice it tomorrow and then I'll have some pics. This is a cake I came across when I lived in Japan and it was so delicious I started craving it last year and had to find out more about it. Since it is a specialty German treat that they usually only have around Christmas time, it's relatively hard to find. We have a local bakery that sells them around Christmas but they are imported and usually stale when they get here. I'm taking a speech class with a bunch of hardcore religious, Republican, members of the military so many of the topics that I might choose to speak about probably would not ingratiate me with the locals. I figured I should talk about what I like. What I like is cooking and eating. And when I think of something strange and interesting, I think of baumkuchen. It looks spectacular, it tastes good and most people have never heard about it.
I had a bit of a saga today trying to find a pan for cooking my baumkuchen. Since you have to broil it layer by layer, you can't use nonstick. Nonstick past 400 or 450 emits noxious fumes that can be dangerous or carcinogenic. Usually you broil on a baking sheet or with foil. Well, I needed a cake pan. Specifically a springform. I started out at Target and bought a springform before I remember the whole nonstick business. I returned it and then went to Walmart. All their pans were nonstick. Springform, basic cake pan, everything! Luckily I found anodized aluminum cake pans at Meijer that were blessedly nonstick. I have no idea what the other people who made baumkuchen at home did with their pans (I found a bunch of recipes on the net) but they certainly made no mention of nonstick. Since you put it in for 2 min at a time perhaps the coating wouldn't melt off. But who wants to take chances like that?
I'm doing my speech on Wednesday. I'm prepping the cake this weekend and I also ordered one made in Chicago which I'll be defrosting because I ordered it WAY too early. I think it's probably overkill for the grade but hey, it'll be a lot of fun and everyone likes to eat cake.
This last week has been topsy turvy simply because of the house stuff. I don't want to jinx that or talk about it any further until we have it so I'll leave it at that. Suffice to say I had a melt down mid week because I thought I got a B on a test. Lol. I know. Dental hygiene school is so competitive and I don't want to be where I am for any longer than I have to be. Anything short of perfect is not good. Worried for nothing. I got a 97% on the test which was the highest grade in my class. 103% on my first test. 100% on lab exam. Most of the class is averaging 70%. Pardon my brag but I really do love my microbiology class. I think if I didn't have to hurry out there and go make money in a practical field, I might have possibly had a future in biochemistry. Perhaps in another life...So MB is going well as long as I spend nearly every minute waking studying.
At home we are watching Big Bang Theory season 2 on Netflix. I can't think of much on TV that was funnier than BBT.
It's really hot outside. GAH.
Cracking down on the diet and exercise again this week. Some days are good. Some days are less so. I never used to eat movie theater popcorn. Now I'm ruined on it!
Oh Bad Teacher was hilarious.
I had a bit of a saga today trying to find a pan for cooking my baumkuchen. Since you have to broil it layer by layer, you can't use nonstick. Nonstick past 400 or 450 emits noxious fumes that can be dangerous or carcinogenic. Usually you broil on a baking sheet or with foil. Well, I needed a cake pan. Specifically a springform. I started out at Target and bought a springform before I remember the whole nonstick business. I returned it and then went to Walmart. All their pans were nonstick. Springform, basic cake pan, everything! Luckily I found anodized aluminum cake pans at Meijer that were blessedly nonstick. I have no idea what the other people who made baumkuchen at home did with their pans (I found a bunch of recipes on the net) but they certainly made no mention of nonstick. Since you put it in for 2 min at a time perhaps the coating wouldn't melt off. But who wants to take chances like that?
I'm doing my speech on Wednesday. I'm prepping the cake this weekend and I also ordered one made in Chicago which I'll be defrosting because I ordered it WAY too early. I think it's probably overkill for the grade but hey, it'll be a lot of fun and everyone likes to eat cake.
This last week has been topsy turvy simply because of the house stuff. I don't want to jinx that or talk about it any further until we have it so I'll leave it at that. Suffice to say I had a melt down mid week because I thought I got a B on a test. Lol. I know. Dental hygiene school is so competitive and I don't want to be where I am for any longer than I have to be. Anything short of perfect is not good. Worried for nothing. I got a 97% on the test which was the highest grade in my class. 103% on my first test. 100% on lab exam. Most of the class is averaging 70%. Pardon my brag but I really do love my microbiology class. I think if I didn't have to hurry out there and go make money in a practical field, I might have possibly had a future in biochemistry. Perhaps in another life...So MB is going well as long as I spend nearly every minute waking studying.
At home we are watching Big Bang Theory season 2 on Netflix. I can't think of much on TV that was funnier than BBT.
It's really hot outside. GAH.
Cracking down on the diet and exercise again this week. Some days are good. Some days are less so. I never used to eat movie theater popcorn. Now I'm ruined on it!
Oh Bad Teacher was hilarious.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Struggle with having it all
Facebook gets me upset some times. I had a lot of dreams for my life and while some of them have come true, I feel that I haven't done what I wanted to do with my life. Its hard when so many others have achieved and I feel that I am still 10 years behind. Keeping a positive attitude is hard.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Discouraged - a lot of balls in the air
I guess I didn't realize just how tough work and school would be with this M-Th night school stuff going on. What makes it more difficult is at the same time I'm trying to spend time with my online friends. I really want to get my image together this year. I feel that I'm at a critical point and that it would really help my career to have a better looking self. I need the self confidence as well.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
1 day
I did P90x on Monday but I simply have NO time at all throughout this week to continue! I will have to pick it up this weekend and do only 3 days instead of 6. :( I want to do the program but perhaps this is not the best time. When I got home from class last night I had 1 1/2 hrs to bed and I had to fill that time with coming up with my speech for speech class which I present today. Also I have zero time between work and class because we are going to the home inspection at 4. Stressful!
The high protein diet thing makes me sick and I don't think it's doing anything for weight loss. I think I will modify it until I'm hardcore on the plan. I would guess if I'm working out like a mofo like you are supposed to do on the program then it would be a good recovery diet. Right now it is too much and too many calories.
The high protein diet thing makes me sick and I don't think it's doing anything for weight loss. I think I will modify it until I'm hardcore on the plan. I would guess if I'm working out like a mofo like you are supposed to do on the program then it would be a good recovery diet. Right now it is too much and too many calories.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
3 days down
Been doing REALLY well eating carefully. Tonight we had chicken and broccoli from take out which could've been a lot worse but wasn't. Haven't been snacking on desserts.
After I did the Jackie Warner workout I couldn't move and I still am having trouble with my hamstrings and quads. P90x is here and I will start it tomorrow! Err make that Friday because I have class tomorrow night.
Speaking of class, it's going ok. I had 4 quizzes and missed 1 answer on 1 of them because damn microscope terminology. It bums me out because I want full points on the quizzes and save all my fudge room for tests. There is no extra credit so I'm a little terrified.
We've been having about 45 min to an hour between lab and lecture and there is a track across the street. I think I will go walk around it a little bit with my ipod tomorrow as long as I'm not furiously cramming for the quizzes.
After I did the Jackie Warner workout I couldn't move and I still am having trouble with my hamstrings and quads. P90x is here and I will start it tomorrow! Err make that Friday because I have class tomorrow night.
Speaking of class, it's going ok. I had 4 quizzes and missed 1 answer on 1 of them because damn microscope terminology. It bums me out because I want full points on the quizzes and save all my fudge room for tests. There is no extra credit so I'm a little terrified.
We've been having about 45 min to an hour between lab and lecture and there is a track across the street. I think I will go walk around it a little bit with my ipod tomorrow as long as I'm not furiously cramming for the quizzes.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Day 1 Monday
Objective: eat healthy, exercise and do my homework!
B: Special K Protein Shake
L: Light chicken salad, string cheese and strawberries
D: Tilapia with pesto, zucchini and wild rice
S: Protein bar
Based off P90x program although I haven't gotten it yet.
Walked 45 min at an easy pace while talking to Dad. Did 40 min Jackie Warner circuit training exercise video that totally kicked my glutes (FOR REAL).
Did my post lab, reviewed my flashcards and reviewed the 3 labs we are doing tomorrow for the lab quiz. I'm a little worried about the lab quiz as we are going over gram staining and different kinds and shapes of bacteria. Lecture quiz should be fine since it is just a review for me. Just basic chemistry, bonds, pH and macromolecules.
Here's for today to be another fabulous day. I'm not sure if I'll get exercise in as the only time I'll have all day is before work at around 6 in the morning or after my class around 9:30pm. I need to get up early and do a few reps. And hopefully I get my video tomorrow AND hopefully we hear back about the house tomorrow too!
B: Special K Protein Shake
L: Light chicken salad, string cheese and strawberries
D: Tilapia with pesto, zucchini and wild rice
S: Protein bar
Based off P90x program although I haven't gotten it yet.
Walked 45 min at an easy pace while talking to Dad. Did 40 min Jackie Warner circuit training exercise video that totally kicked my glutes (FOR REAL).
Did my post lab, reviewed my flashcards and reviewed the 3 labs we are doing tomorrow for the lab quiz. I'm a little worried about the lab quiz as we are going over gram staining and different kinds and shapes of bacteria. Lecture quiz should be fine since it is just a review for me. Just basic chemistry, bonds, pH and macromolecules.
Here's for today to be another fabulous day. I'm not sure if I'll get exercise in as the only time I'll have all day is before work at around 6 in the morning or after my class around 9:30pm. I need to get up early and do a few reps. And hopefully I get my video tomorrow AND hopefully we hear back about the house tomorrow too!
I think it's here!
Fedex website says my P90x is in Indy! Now we hope that they don't deliver too early because John has to deliver kiddo to his mom.
But YAY!
But YAY!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Started
Made chicken salad for lunch tomorrow and wrote out my meal plan. P90x won't be coming until Friday so I need to figure out what I'm going to do for exercise in the interim.
Monday - walk 1 hr., Jackie video, make shrimp stir fry for Tues lunch and chicken salad for Wed lunch
-empty cat box
-family phone calls
Tuesday - pushups, sit ups, bicep curls, lateral raises, lunges and squats in the morning, yoga video after class
-study for Microbio if extra time
Wednesday - walk 1 hr., Jackie video, make shrimp stir fry for Thurs lunch and chicken salad for Fri lunch
-make chocolate chip cookies for Scott and get mailing box ready to mail
Thursday - pushups, sit ups, bicep curls, lateral raises, lunges and squats in the morning, yoga video after class
-study for Microbio if extra time
Friday - P90x start!
Saturday - P90x!
Goal is to keep busy, exercise and eat according to plan.
Monday - walk 1 hr., Jackie video, make shrimp stir fry for Tues lunch and chicken salad for Wed lunch
-empty cat box
-family phone calls
Tuesday - pushups, sit ups, bicep curls, lateral raises, lunges and squats in the morning, yoga video after class
-study for Microbio if extra time
Wednesday - walk 1 hr., Jackie video, make shrimp stir fry for Thurs lunch and chicken salad for Fri lunch
-make chocolate chip cookies for Scott and get mailing box ready to mail
Thursday - pushups, sit ups, bicep curls, lateral raises, lunges and squats in the morning, yoga video after class
-study for Microbio if extra time
Friday - P90x start!
Saturday - P90x!
Goal is to keep busy, exercise and eat according to plan.
Going to try something new
I've been pretty unhappy with my fitness and health level and I don't feel like it's getting much better. John and I ordered the P90x exercise system and we are going to commit to this 90 day program and change our lives. Our biggest problem, as funny as it sounds is not having enough to do. We have a fabulous relationship but have neglected to build up relationships with others. This just results in us hanging at home and pigging out on the weekends.
I think it's going to be difficult, especially the next 8 weeks while I'm working AND taking my classes M-Th night from 5 to 9. By planning out my meals and waking up earlier I hope to fit my exercise in and keep on track foodwise.
Watching the Biggest Loser is inspirational. :)
I think it's going to be difficult, especially the next 8 weeks while I'm working AND taking my classes M-Th night from 5 to 9. By planning out my meals and waking up earlier I hope to fit my exercise in and keep on track foodwise.
Watching the Biggest Loser is inspirational. :)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Spring is a time of new beginnings
I have a number of things on my mind and going through my life right now.Spring semester is nearly finished and I only have a few more assignments in each class. I have 3 tests and a paper about a neuro-degenerative disease in A&P and then my final argument paper in the writing class. Surprise surprise my paper is about food. I had to write an impartial paper on the current arguments about GMOs and now I have to pick a side and write about it again. Needless to say I'm fairly anti GMO. What surprised me was just how many good arguments the other side has...until I looked at the funding of all their research and reports and found out that it all came from Monsanto...At any rate, in order to pretty much be guaranteed a spot into the program I want, I have to get a 98% in all 6 prerequisite courses. I currently have a 99% in both courses so hopefully I will continue to keep going and studying every night.
I would keep in mind that anything in a box that has corn, soy, canola, or items derived from those products on the ingredients list or any fruits/vegetables with a PLU sticker code that start with an 8 are GMO items. Just so you know, because they aren't required to label GMOs in America.
Foremost on my mind right now is a good friend of ours online who just had a stroke 2 days ago. I hadn't been online in about two months but I had to renew my subscription and talk to everyone who was affected by the whole situation. I hear that he is talking now but we are all still worried about him, his wife and young daughter. It's a difficult place to be in. All I can do sadly is send them cookies and love. It is one of those unfortunate consequences of having friends who live so far away. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Another huge happening in our life is the possibility that we will be buying a house some time soon. Incredibly, there are houses in Indianapolis that are very cheap. Probably due to the fact that Indianapolis is not exactly a prime destination for most people and the area is extremely depressed. It works out in our favor simply because with a mortgage payment that will come out under our current rent amount by quite a lot and my excellent credit, it looks like that dream will come true. The struggle is obviously finding a house that is not going to take a ton of work to fix up or maintain. A lot of the repossessed homes we have been looking at are less than ten years old. In fact, the one we are most interested in is a 2007. At any rate, if all this works out, it could be the best (or worst) thing that ever happened to us. :)
One of the houses we saw recently had a kitchen similar to one of my favorite cooking shows, Bitchin' Kitchen. Basically bright red walls and black and white checked floor with some retro curtains and padded cabinets. So yeah, that is what I would love to have my kitchen look like. The skull would NOT be in my kitchen but John would probably think it's funny. We bought a black and red sign for our kitchen that says I <3 Bacon. I think it will be a good start to my decorating scheme.
With my thirtieth approaching this fall, a major goal of mine has been to get in shape. John and I have been walking just about every day for the last 3 weeks. I am starting to run a little bit on our 3 mile route but my knees are still a bit week so I try to keep it slow and steady. It definitely helps to have my ipod on the route when John is too busy to come with me. I've downloaded a few books of Thai. I've really wanted to be able to communicate with my sister-in-law, Tu and it gives me something to look forward to during the walk/run. It's not just about exercising either sadly. It is about eating a vegetable with each meal and cutting out snacks. Due to my research on CAFOs and GMOs, I have been a bit more inspired to try to limit those items in my cooking as well. It feels as if I'm cutting something out every week and soon all we'll be able to eat are BEANS! Ugh.
Anyway, we already eat hardly any meat to begin with but when you start buying humane meat, it's $10+ for 3 chicken breasts and you start thinking that perhaps you should have more meatless days a week than just Monday. Organic tofu is only $3 for 4 portion sizes and I'm learning some great ways to cook it. I found Deborah Madison's Vegetarian cookbook at Half Price Books the other day and I've been cooking from Vegan with a Vengeance. We are going to try a horseradish crusted tofu with wasabi potatoes tonight. Sounds tasty! As we are transitioning into the spring/summer, the farmer's markets are opening up. Unfortunately this year we don't have the cash to buy a CSA share but I am going to attempt to get out there each Saturday when my classes are over and pick up some veggies and fruits. Not everything is organic but there are so many causes to root for, it's good to at least hit one of them. Either get something organic, something locally grown or something from a small business.
Well this has been a bit rambly. I have a lot on my mind and now to leave you with one more thing. I got another book from Half Price Book call Cute Yummy Time. It is based around bento boxes and how crazy some Japanese moms go to make their kids' lunches look adorable. I bought it because I want to make myself adorable lunches but now Gavin has commandeered the book and is just going crazy over all the cute bunny eggs and elephant pancakes. I am curious if I make him something from the book if he'll actually eat it. Currently he eats peanut butter toast, fruit, some cereal, chips and chicken tenders and fries. That is it. And his clothes are falling off his skinny skinny frame. I am hopeful that "kawaii" will make him interested in eating! Here's a pic of some bento ideas from Aibento.
Finally, Earth Day is this upcoming weekend. Visit the Earth Day website or your local one like Earth Day Indiana to do a little sumpin sumpin for your planet this year.
Have a great week!
P.S. Gavin is watching the Backyardigans right now and they have a song about this robot who "has a screw loose." Lol
I would keep in mind that anything in a box that has corn, soy, canola, or items derived from those products on the ingredients list or any fruits/vegetables with a PLU sticker code that start with an 8 are GMO items. Just so you know, because they aren't required to label GMOs in America.
Foremost on my mind right now is a good friend of ours online who just had a stroke 2 days ago. I hadn't been online in about two months but I had to renew my subscription and talk to everyone who was affected by the whole situation. I hear that he is talking now but we are all still worried about him, his wife and young daughter. It's a difficult place to be in. All I can do sadly is send them cookies and love. It is one of those unfortunate consequences of having friends who live so far away. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Another huge happening in our life is the possibility that we will be buying a house some time soon. Incredibly, there are houses in Indianapolis that are very cheap. Probably due to the fact that Indianapolis is not exactly a prime destination for most people and the area is extremely depressed. It works out in our favor simply because with a mortgage payment that will come out under our current rent amount by quite a lot and my excellent credit, it looks like that dream will come true. The struggle is obviously finding a house that is not going to take a ton of work to fix up or maintain. A lot of the repossessed homes we have been looking at are less than ten years old. In fact, the one we are most interested in is a 2007. At any rate, if all this works out, it could be the best (or worst) thing that ever happened to us. :)
One of the houses we saw recently had a kitchen similar to one of my favorite cooking shows, Bitchin' Kitchen. Basically bright red walls and black and white checked floor with some retro curtains and padded cabinets. So yeah, that is what I would love to have my kitchen look like. The skull would NOT be in my kitchen but John would probably think it's funny. We bought a black and red sign for our kitchen that says I <3 Bacon. I think it will be a good start to my decorating scheme.
With my thirtieth approaching this fall, a major goal of mine has been to get in shape. John and I have been walking just about every day for the last 3 weeks. I am starting to run a little bit on our 3 mile route but my knees are still a bit week so I try to keep it slow and steady. It definitely helps to have my ipod on the route when John is too busy to come with me. I've downloaded a few books of Thai. I've really wanted to be able to communicate with my sister-in-law, Tu and it gives me something to look forward to during the walk/run. It's not just about exercising either sadly. It is about eating a vegetable with each meal and cutting out snacks. Due to my research on CAFOs and GMOs, I have been a bit more inspired to try to limit those items in my cooking as well. It feels as if I'm cutting something out every week and soon all we'll be able to eat are BEANS! Ugh.
Anyway, we already eat hardly any meat to begin with but when you start buying humane meat, it's $10+ for 3 chicken breasts and you start thinking that perhaps you should have more meatless days a week than just Monday. Organic tofu is only $3 for 4 portion sizes and I'm learning some great ways to cook it. I found Deborah Madison's Vegetarian cookbook at Half Price Books the other day and I've been cooking from Vegan with a Vengeance. We are going to try a horseradish crusted tofu with wasabi potatoes tonight. Sounds tasty! As we are transitioning into the spring/summer, the farmer's markets are opening up. Unfortunately this year we don't have the cash to buy a CSA share but I am going to attempt to get out there each Saturday when my classes are over and pick up some veggies and fruits. Not everything is organic but there are so many causes to root for, it's good to at least hit one of them. Either get something organic, something locally grown or something from a small business.
Well this has been a bit rambly. I have a lot on my mind and now to leave you with one more thing. I got another book from Half Price Book call Cute Yummy Time. It is based around bento boxes and how crazy some Japanese moms go to make their kids' lunches look adorable. I bought it because I want to make myself adorable lunches but now Gavin has commandeered the book and is just going crazy over all the cute bunny eggs and elephant pancakes. I am curious if I make him something from the book if he'll actually eat it. Currently he eats peanut butter toast, fruit, some cereal, chips and chicken tenders and fries. That is it. And his clothes are falling off his skinny skinny frame. I am hopeful that "kawaii" will make him interested in eating! Here's a pic of some bento ideas from Aibento.
Finally, Earth Day is this upcoming weekend. Visit the Earth Day website or your local one like Earth Day Indiana to do a little sumpin sumpin for your planet this year.
Have a great week!
P.S. Gavin is watching the Backyardigans right now and they have a song about this robot who "has a screw loose." Lol
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Making caramels and a cooking whirlwind
This week we were doing some spring cleaning at the house. I am a huge fan of magazines and I clip recipes from all the cooking magazines I come across. During the spring cleaning, I took my enormous oversize purple binder and got rid of all those silly things I would never end up making anyway. Lets face it, I will never make a recipe for steaks because we simply don't eat beef. Also, why on earth do I have 200 spinach dip, mac n' cheese, and cheesecake recipes? One will do quite well thank you very much! And when it comes to standards, I always turn to the Joy anyway.
Anyway, I was cleaning out my binder and found a recipe for caramels by Ina Garten, clipped from Food Network magazine. That and a recipe for chocolate truffles by Jacques Torres have been taunting me for months. I thought I was woman enough to step up to the challenge of making caramels so I did it....
...or tried to at least.
I put sugar, water and light corn syrup in a pot and boiled it up to a rich golden color. Then I added the melted butter/cream mixture and heated it up to firm ball stage on the candy thermometer. Poured into a pan lined with parchment paper and let set in the fridge for 2 hours.
The caramels looked gorgeous but there was just one problem. They were as hard as a rock! I popped the sheet of caramels onto the table and tried to go at them with my cleaver but it didn't do any good. Slightly pissed off at wasting 3 hours I went online to see where I went wrong. People were talking about temperatures so I went back to the drawing board and made another batch. I heated it to firm ball stage and then added the cream, then back to firm ball, testing in ice water.
While waiting for batch 2 to set, I decided to try to rescue batch 1. I googled that melting the caramel back down and adding more cream would soften them right up. I melted down batch 1 and added about a half a cup of milk because I was out of cream. Being a supremely daring and careless chef I decided to add a large amount of cocoa powder into the mixture just for the hell of it. Put those up to set in the fridge and went back to batch 2.
Batch 2 was just as hard as batch 1. I have no idea how to make these caramels soft the first time! I could google for more information or read another recipe but to be honest, who really wants a bunch of batches of fatty delicious caramels sitting around all the time???
When batch 1 redux was done I was pleasantly surprised. The caramels were soft and chewy, if not a little bit TOO soft and chewy. They were chocolatey and delicious. Like a cross between a caramel and chocolate fudge.
Om nom nom!
I did eventually melt down batch 2 again and add milk to make it soft. Now that batch is WAY too soft and in my freezer firming up until I get around to slicing and putting it in wrappers.
I would definitely make these again but probably only as a Christmas gift for someone. Unfortunately most other people I know do not crave caramels like I do. Also, these won't ship well...sadface.
Adventure into bread part 1 did not go well. I've made bread only a few times in the past and it never seems to get the air I want in it. Granted I was making wheat bread which is heavier. I think the 6 or so hours I put into caramels is probably enough major cooking for the time being but I'll definitely be back to it since homemade bread is the most heavenly thing on the planet.
Also our Meatless Monday is going well. This week we had roasted veggies on rotini with parm (hey it's not vegan Monday!). Last week we had a chickpea spinach curry from my new vegan book which was blah. My hope is to find some good options that are not soups or salads. I would really love to get some good Indian curries down. Also, a simple stir fry with marinated tofu can be heavenly.
Speaking of Asian food, we've been frequenting our local Asian mart a lot more often recently. Compared to the supermarket they have the freshest and best looking veggies in town. I have also been eating a lot of Glica's Tomato Pretz sticks which are almost identical to Pringles Pizza Stix. They are a wheat stick cracker with flavorings on them and I just know I could make these at home. But that is for another adventurous day.
I know my sister-in-law Tu will probably make fun of me but this product -
-tastes like the green curry we get at Thai restaurants. It is hot, spicy and all you need to do are add veggies of your choice and chicken. We bought some mini corns and some green beans to simmer into the sauce. Simply amazing! Also they have this organic, gmo free rice that comes in a vac pack 10 lb. bag. Man, fresh rice is so incredible. There is such a difference from old rice that's been on the shelf forever and fresh stuff. The final find I found :) was a vac pack of lotus root. I ate these a lot in Japan and I'm not sure what to do with them.
I believe I had them sauteed with a sesame sauce but I can't remember. All the google links say I should just bake them into chips or roast them. That doesn't sound very Asian to me! They are sitting in my fridge and hopefully I will find a way to use them before they go moldy.
Well I hope that was enough food news for all of you. Everything else is going swimmingly.
Off to watch Bitchin' Kitchen!
Anyway, I was cleaning out my binder and found a recipe for caramels by Ina Garten, clipped from Food Network magazine. That and a recipe for chocolate truffles by Jacques Torres have been taunting me for months. I thought I was woman enough to step up to the challenge of making caramels so I did it....
...or tried to at least.
While waiting for batch 2 to set, I decided to try to rescue batch 1. I googled that melting the caramel back down and adding more cream would soften them right up. I melted down batch 1 and added about a half a cup of milk because I was out of cream. Being a supremely daring and careless chef I decided to add a large amount of cocoa powder into the mixture just for the hell of it. Put those up to set in the fridge and went back to batch 2.
Batch 2 was just as hard as batch 1. I have no idea how to make these caramels soft the first time! I could google for more information or read another recipe but to be honest, who really wants a bunch of batches of fatty delicious caramels sitting around all the time???
When batch 1 redux was done I was pleasantly surprised. The caramels were soft and chewy, if not a little bit TOO soft and chewy. They were chocolatey and delicious. Like a cross between a caramel and chocolate fudge.
Om nom nom!
I did eventually melt down batch 2 again and add milk to make it soft. Now that batch is WAY too soft and in my freezer firming up until I get around to slicing and putting it in wrappers.
I would definitely make these again but probably only as a Christmas gift for someone. Unfortunately most other people I know do not crave caramels like I do. Also, these won't ship well...sadface.
Adventure into bread part 1 did not go well. I've made bread only a few times in the past and it never seems to get the air I want in it. Granted I was making wheat bread which is heavier. I think the 6 or so hours I put into caramels is probably enough major cooking for the time being but I'll definitely be back to it since homemade bread is the most heavenly thing on the planet.
Also our Meatless Monday is going well. This week we had roasted veggies on rotini with parm (hey it's not vegan Monday!). Last week we had a chickpea spinach curry from my new vegan book which was blah. My hope is to find some good options that are not soups or salads. I would really love to get some good Indian curries down. Also, a simple stir fry with marinated tofu can be heavenly.
Speaking of Asian food, we've been frequenting our local Asian mart a lot more often recently. Compared to the supermarket they have the freshest and best looking veggies in town. I have also been eating a lot of Glica's Tomato Pretz sticks which are almost identical to Pringles Pizza Stix. They are a wheat stick cracker with flavorings on them and I just know I could make these at home. But that is for another adventurous day.
I know my sister-in-law Tu will probably make fun of me but this product -
Well I hope that was enough food news for all of you. Everything else is going swimmingly.
Off to watch Bitchin' Kitchen!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Emily Got Married
John and I got married this last weekend. It was a pretty simple wedding to put together because we had so many people's help! My family flew in from out of state and we spent an entire weekend together hanging out and watching the kids run around and play together. Gavin, Luke and Dylan are all about the same age and it was fun to watch them have fun with each other.
We had our wedding at a local restaurant on a lake. It was actually a very lovely day in March even though it was sprinkling outside during the ceremony. We were able to walk outside for a few pictures later. Here are some of my favorites.
After the wedding we were going to drive down to the Smoky Mountains for our honeymoon on Tuesday. Unfortunately I got some bad news about a prospect I had interviewed for and was bummed so we set out on Monday night and drove down to Frankfort, Kentucky after seeing my mom off. First thing in the morning, we got up and drove past the original Colonel Sanders house and KFC. It was way too early to eat so we drove on by.
I was pretty surprised when we arrived at the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. Apparently, the Smoky Mountains are now an amusement park area or something. There were a million different rides and attractions and when we tried to go for a hike, the trails were mobbed.
Our cabin was way high up in the mountains and it was a single lane road with a cliff on one side. I thought we were going to die every day driving up to it. Highlights of our trip were a nice walk, fudge shops and a wonderful dinner with these AMAZING garlic biscuits on our last night in town.
We also saw Limitless and went book shopping on our trip. What can I say, we both love movies and books!
Now we're back in town and I'm getting ready to go back to work and hop back into my life. We were so happy to have our family spend our special day with us and I am so happy that I married the best man I know, my best friend.
We had our wedding at a local restaurant on a lake. It was actually a very lovely day in March even though it was sprinkling outside during the ceremony. We were able to walk outside for a few pictures later. Here are some of my favorites.
After the wedding we were going to drive down to the Smoky Mountains for our honeymoon on Tuesday. Unfortunately I got some bad news about a prospect I had interviewed for and was bummed so we set out on Monday night and drove down to Frankfort, Kentucky after seeing my mom off. First thing in the morning, we got up and drove past the original Colonel Sanders house and KFC. It was way too early to eat so we drove on by.
I was pretty surprised when we arrived at the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. Apparently, the Smoky Mountains are now an amusement park area or something. There were a million different rides and attractions and when we tried to go for a hike, the trails were mobbed.
Our cabin was way high up in the mountains and it was a single lane road with a cliff on one side. I thought we were going to die every day driving up to it. Highlights of our trip were a nice walk, fudge shops and a wonderful dinner with these AMAZING garlic biscuits on our last night in town.
We also saw Limitless and went book shopping on our trip. What can I say, we both love movies and books!
Now we're back in town and I'm getting ready to go back to work and hop back into my life. We were so happy to have our family spend our special day with us and I am so happy that I married the best man I know, my best friend.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Midterm
I wrote this for my midterm. It was a quick write so it's not all that polished.
A second language comes in handy in emergencies as well as on the job. Having a basic knowledge of the secondary language of a region allows people to help each other in need. It is impossible to know if someone is injured, cannot feed their family, cannot read or does not know where to find basic community services without knowledge of that language. Speaking another language makes it possible for neighbors to help each other and the community to look after people in trouble. Everyone, whether they speak the same language or not, is a human and deserves basic services and help. In an emergency, speaking that language can mean the difference between life or death.
Language Learning is Important!
The United States was formed as a collection of people from many different countries and heritages. Along with all the different cultures, many people brought different languages with them. Over the past two hundred years, many of our language differences have smoothed out into English as the national language. However, English is not the only language in America, and many, such as Spanish, Russian and Arabic are becoming more prevalent than ever. Many Americans say that those who move to America need to speak English and that students should not be required to learn a second language. This is short-sightedness on their part. Learning a second language has so many benefits that it definitely should be required of all students. Being fluent in a second language allows people to obtain bilingual jobs, speak with coworkers, help those in need, and gain an understanding of cultures and beliefs different from their own.
The financial crisis and lack of jobs is prominent in most Americans' minds. As such, one of the most important things to people today is finding a well paying job. More and more jobs are requiring bilingual skills and people with those skillsets are in demand now more than ever. One of the largest cultures growing in America today is the Hispanic culture. Many Hispanics speak English but there is still a sizeable population that does not. Being able to reach out to these people is very important and is a large untapped market. There are bilingual jobs in reception and switchboard operations, customer service, and emergency services. Additionally, bilingual entrepreneurs have an edge on their competitors as bilingual businesses can reach out to far more customers than English-only businesses. Rather than looking at people who do not speak English as a curse, Americans should see this as an increasingly profitable business opportunity. With jobs so difficult to find lately, parents should jump to give their children an edge in the marketplace by encouraging their children to have a bilingual education.
Not only will being bilingual help Americans get jobs, it will also help basic communication among coworkers and make jobs more enjoyable. People of all different language backgrounds are working in many different jobs today. Many times people who do not speak the same language will find themselves working together and having to communicate via sign language or pidgin English or Spanish. A background in another language will help that communication to flow more easily and allow people to work better together. I currently work with thirty Mexican coworkers who only speak about ten words of English among them. If I was bilingual, communicating with them would be so much easier and I could get to know them as friends better.
A second language comes in handy in emergencies as well as on the job. Having a basic knowledge of the secondary language of a region allows people to help each other in need. It is impossible to know if someone is injured, cannot feed their family, cannot read or does not know where to find basic community services without knowledge of that language. Speaking another language makes it possible for neighbors to help each other and the community to look after people in trouble. Everyone, whether they speak the same language or not, is a human and deserves basic services and help. In an emergency, speaking that language can mean the difference between life or death.
Finally, and less dire, when learning another language, a student comes into contact with another culture. It has been said that it is impossible to learn a language without the context of its culture. Languages develop with people and culture. When learning a language, the student will learn about the other culture. The United States is divided on learning about its neighbors. Some Americans are convinced that the United States can exist by itself without help from anyone. These Americans desire little to no contact with the outside world. Other Americans understand that no matter how much people want to be left alone, they live together as part of a global community with many other cultures. Language is the first step to learning about other cultures. It opens students? eyes to the world around them and plants the roots for tolerance and understanding. These traits are highly desirable as cities across America, big or small are becoming more integrated with people from all different backgrounds. It is not possible to live an isolated life any more and parents need to embrace this fact. By giving their children a bilingual education, they are allowing for their children to mature and gain a fascination with the world around them.
At most schools, language is an optional class. This understates the importance of language in the American culture and the opportunities for students who become bilingual. Bilingual people have access to jobs and business opportunities that monolingual people do not. Additionally, being bilingual makes working with people of different cultures more interesting and allows people to help those who do not speak English when they are in need. Lastly, language is the key to the mind of a culture and as such, a student of a language gains insight to another culture and the world around them in ways that a monolingual person can not imagine. Learning a second language should be a requirement of all American schools because all the positive impacts it can have on the community and the people who learn them.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Cooking Adventure
Every now and then I get this urge to do some crazy cooking. Last week I bought and roasted a whole chicken from a Julia Child recipe. Tonight I decided to try it again. I picked mustard broiled chicken and I decided to try my hand at a risotto from a magazine. I bought a whole chicken and had to break it down. It was a horrific experience. All I can say is my knives are incredibly dull and I was so afraid of cutting myself. I want to toss all my knives in the trash!
Since I never broke down a chicken before, I decided to do what anyone would do and find a video to follow on the internet. Poor John had to walk into the kitchen several times to restart the video because my dull knives took forever. He has a sensitive stomach and watching me hack the chicken apart was a bit much for him. I, on the other hand felt liberated. I worried a little bit at the beginning of this semester if I would have trouble when we finally get to our dissection lab in my anatomy course. I think as long as I cook, I'll be fine with blood. It gets easier the more you do it and it really makes you admire your handiwork and how much work actually goes into the simple things like breaking down a chicken.
The broiling bit went ok but the chicken skin started to burn and I was afraid of lighting the house on fire. So after I switched pans, I covered the chicken and baked it at 350. This was a bit of a mistake because it was coated in breadcrumbs and they never really got cooked and crunchy. The chicken was surprisingly well cooked. I was a bit terrified that the broiler would not cook them thoroughly enough but with the baking at the end and a bit of time to rest, the meat was juicy and just perfect.
This week at the grocery store, I dropped more money than we normally do shopping so I could pick up some special ingredients for a fun week of cooking. One item was a wedge of Parmesan. Parmesan is so wonderful freshly grated. I made the risotto from a recipe in a magazine and with the fresh Parmesan it was creamy and decadent and well, the best thing I can say about it is I gave John a large helping and he ate it all.
Cooking like that is definitely a chore that dirties all of my dishes. I don't know how some people do that every day but I always hope the more I cook, the better I will be at it. At this point, I count my success as a clean plate and a compliment from John. He's always supportive even when my food is inedible but it makes me happy when he loves his dinner.
Other highlights from the week include: finishing the coursework for my intro to college course, exercising like crazy, writing my CAFO paper and meeting with our wedding officiant again.
Have a great week everyone!
Since I never broke down a chicken before, I decided to do what anyone would do and find a video to follow on the internet. Poor John had to walk into the kitchen several times to restart the video because my dull knives took forever. He has a sensitive stomach and watching me hack the chicken apart was a bit much for him. I, on the other hand felt liberated. I worried a little bit at the beginning of this semester if I would have trouble when we finally get to our dissection lab in my anatomy course. I think as long as I cook, I'll be fine with blood. It gets easier the more you do it and it really makes you admire your handiwork and how much work actually goes into the simple things like breaking down a chicken.
The broiling bit went ok but the chicken skin started to burn and I was afraid of lighting the house on fire. So after I switched pans, I covered the chicken and baked it at 350. This was a bit of a mistake because it was coated in breadcrumbs and they never really got cooked and crunchy. The chicken was surprisingly well cooked. I was a bit terrified that the broiler would not cook them thoroughly enough but with the baking at the end and a bit of time to rest, the meat was juicy and just perfect.
This week at the grocery store, I dropped more money than we normally do shopping so I could pick up some special ingredients for a fun week of cooking. One item was a wedge of Parmesan. Parmesan is so wonderful freshly grated. I made the risotto from a recipe in a magazine and with the fresh Parmesan it was creamy and decadent and well, the best thing I can say about it is I gave John a large helping and he ate it all.
Cooking like that is definitely a chore that dirties all of my dishes. I don't know how some people do that every day but I always hope the more I cook, the better I will be at it. At this point, I count my success as a clean plate and a compliment from John. He's always supportive even when my food is inedible but it makes me happy when he loves his dinner.
Other highlights from the week include: finishing the coursework for my intro to college course, exercising like crazy, writing my CAFO paper and meeting with our wedding officiant again.
Have a great week everyone!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Dress, Thank God
My wedding dress finally arrived today! I ordered it from Romantic Threads. I was initially pretty worried about ordering online from a company and a person I knew nothing about. It wasn't cheap either. I have to say I really think she did a fabulous job. The dress is lacy and flowy and the fit is absolutely perfect. I couldn't be happier and I think that, along with the cake, which we finally ordered and put down the deposit for yesterday, were some main stress factors. Now the big thing to get done is finish off catering details and the set up of the rooms.
Today I made a roast chicken for dinner. I've never made a whole chicken before so I was excited to give it a try. I used the instructions in the Julia Child cookbook and it turned out pretty good. I rubbed it with butter and roasted it at 425 for 15min and then a little over an hour at 350 and basted it with butter. I was hoping to have crispy skin but it didn't crisp up at all. The meat was really juicy. I think next time I'd use more herbs or brine it like I did my turkey. I want to keep cooking from the Julia Child cookbook but I'm still trying some healthier options and trying to have a variety. Earlier this week I made a stir fry with bok choy, onions, mixed bell peppers, broccoli and tofu in an oyster sauce. It was delicious and because I didn't want to torture John with it, I had enough left for several days of leftovers. I love bok choy. So delicious.
Apparently some Borders stores are closing so keep your eyes peeled for some deals! I bought some A&P flashcards and a coloring book for my course the other day 20% off. Speaking of school, I got my A&P test grade - 96. Could've been better but it wasn't terrible. I hope for a 100 next test especially since I'm really trying to devote myself more to school and less to my other free time activities. Here's hoping I'm able to keep it up!
Today I made a roast chicken for dinner. I've never made a whole chicken before so I was excited to give it a try. I used the instructions in the Julia Child cookbook and it turned out pretty good. I rubbed it with butter and roasted it at 425 for 15min and then a little over an hour at 350 and basted it with butter. I was hoping to have crispy skin but it didn't crisp up at all. The meat was really juicy. I think next time I'd use more herbs or brine it like I did my turkey. I want to keep cooking from the Julia Child cookbook but I'm still trying some healthier options and trying to have a variety. Earlier this week I made a stir fry with bok choy, onions, mixed bell peppers, broccoli and tofu in an oyster sauce. It was delicious and because I didn't want to torture John with it, I had enough left for several days of leftovers. I love bok choy. So delicious.
Apparently some Borders stores are closing so keep your eyes peeled for some deals! I bought some A&P flashcards and a coloring book for my course the other day 20% off. Speaking of school, I got my A&P test grade - 96. Could've been better but it wasn't terrible. I hope for a 100 next test especially since I'm really trying to devote myself more to school and less to my other free time activities. Here's hoping I'm able to keep it up!
Monday, February 21, 2011
27 Days Until the Wedding!
I was looking at our wedding website the other day and realized that we are now at less than a month until the wedding. This is pretty exciting but also a bit terrifying. Most times when I think of my family coming in and all the details we need to go through, I wish I had gone with John when he suggested we elope to Las Vegas. Unfortunately things are never as easy as you want them to be and just knowing how excited my mom is for this is enough for me.
My wedding dress is still not here...I had it custom made from Romantic Threads. As far as she knows my wedding is this Friday. I am definitely glad I took one of her customer's advice and told her that the wedding date was a month before the actual. I can't imagine having it last minute. There are always alterations to think about even if it is custom made and what if I don't like it??
We are also going to order our wedding cake on Wednesday. I really like the design. Since we're getting married in March, the wedding scheme is brown and green. Brown branches and green leaves. Here's a snapshot of the cake from the book at the bakery. The twist is we have to pick it up Saturday and the wedding is Sunday so we have to refrigerate it and then put the gum paste gold flowers on ourselves because they will crack in the refrigerator.
I also found a flower arch that I REALLY WANT for the cake table. I'm not sure how to make this happen. My mother seems to think I can find one at a local wedding rental store. I don't know if I have time to search all the stores in the surrounding area. I definitely don't have the skill to make my own so that is probably the only option. Here's what I saw on the internet.
Most days I can handle all the details but it is pretty stressful considering I am trying to get 4.0s in my dental hygiene prerequisites as well as plan this wedding. I am taking 3 classes. One is a preparatory course for students just entering college. I blog for it about 2 hours a week. I consider it a total waste of my time. Thank god it's only an 8 week course and I'm nearly done with it.
My second course is college level writing. Now I took this back in 1998 during Running Start and then again in 2005 when I was considering going back to school for engineering. If I have no other reason to complete this degree, not have to take another college level writing course will be reason enough. My first essay I aced with full points and my teacher asked if she could use it as an example for future students. I hated that essay and thought it was terrible. My second essay is about Trader Joe's and it was actually pretty fun to write. If dental hygiene falls through I'll probably apply for management there! Hopefully I can get perfect scores on all my papers. At least I can rewrite all of them for higher grades if I want.
We have an argument paper coming up and I believe the topics are already chosen for us. They include: the death penalty, the draft, and marijuana. YAWN. I have a more controversial topic I'd like to write about that would be much more interesting: the misplaced value of dairy products in the American culture aka how milk bought itself into our daily life and why it shouldn't be there. I think I could make a really interesting paper on that topic. But come on, the death penalty? the draft? marijuana? What is the point of writing about something that people already have set opinions on?
My last class is Anatomy and Physiology. I REALLY wish I knew how I was doing in this class but unfortunately my teacher is a huge slacker and has not posted our test grades from 2 weeks ago even though she promised them a week ago. We already took another test - our lab test - I can't even imagine when we are going to hear our grades back about that. I really need to know so I can figure out if I need to step up my learning strategies or if I'm on the right track. My sense is that I got a 90 on the test but I know she curves. Since this is the most important class I'm taking this semester, not knowing where I stand is killing me.
We've already had preregistration for summer and I've signed up for 2 courses. This could be a mistake. Currently I'm signed up for A&P 102 and Chem 111 but summer courses are condensed into 2 months and are significantly more difficult. I'm wondering if it might be a mistake to take this much during the summer especially if I'm still going to be working full time. The option is to quit work which I have thought about extensively. Unfortunately, I don't know how we are going to support ourselves for 3 years (1 year of prereqs and then 2 years of the dental hygiene program) with no influx of cash. I'm not really keen on building up huge mounds of financial aid debt. So it's really car wash or financial aid debt. As much as I hate my job, debt is not looking good.
My wedding dress is still not here...I had it custom made from Romantic Threads. As far as she knows my wedding is this Friday. I am definitely glad I took one of her customer's advice and told her that the wedding date was a month before the actual. I can't imagine having it last minute. There are always alterations to think about even if it is custom made and what if I don't like it??
We are also going to order our wedding cake on Wednesday. I really like the design. Since we're getting married in March, the wedding scheme is brown and green. Brown branches and green leaves. Here's a snapshot of the cake from the book at the bakery. The twist is we have to pick it up Saturday and the wedding is Sunday so we have to refrigerate it and then put the gum paste gold flowers on ourselves because they will crack in the refrigerator.
I also found a flower arch that I REALLY WANT for the cake table. I'm not sure how to make this happen. My mother seems to think I can find one at a local wedding rental store. I don't know if I have time to search all the stores in the surrounding area. I definitely don't have the skill to make my own so that is probably the only option. Here's what I saw on the internet.
Most days I can handle all the details but it is pretty stressful considering I am trying to get 4.0s in my dental hygiene prerequisites as well as plan this wedding. I am taking 3 classes. One is a preparatory course for students just entering college. I blog for it about 2 hours a week. I consider it a total waste of my time. Thank god it's only an 8 week course and I'm nearly done with it.
My second course is college level writing. Now I took this back in 1998 during Running Start and then again in 2005 when I was considering going back to school for engineering. If I have no other reason to complete this degree, not have to take another college level writing course will be reason enough. My first essay I aced with full points and my teacher asked if she could use it as an example for future students. I hated that essay and thought it was terrible. My second essay is about Trader Joe's and it was actually pretty fun to write. If dental hygiene falls through I'll probably apply for management there! Hopefully I can get perfect scores on all my papers. At least I can rewrite all of them for higher grades if I want.
We have an argument paper coming up and I believe the topics are already chosen for us. They include: the death penalty, the draft, and marijuana. YAWN. I have a more controversial topic I'd like to write about that would be much more interesting: the misplaced value of dairy products in the American culture aka how milk bought itself into our daily life and why it shouldn't be there. I think I could make a really interesting paper on that topic. But come on, the death penalty? the draft? marijuana? What is the point of writing about something that people already have set opinions on?
My last class is Anatomy and Physiology. I REALLY wish I knew how I was doing in this class but unfortunately my teacher is a huge slacker and has not posted our test grades from 2 weeks ago even though she promised them a week ago. We already took another test - our lab test - I can't even imagine when we are going to hear our grades back about that. I really need to know so I can figure out if I need to step up my learning strategies or if I'm on the right track. My sense is that I got a 90 on the test but I know she curves. Since this is the most important class I'm taking this semester, not knowing where I stand is killing me.
We've already had preregistration for summer and I've signed up for 2 courses. This could be a mistake. Currently I'm signed up for A&P 102 and Chem 111 but summer courses are condensed into 2 months and are significantly more difficult. I'm wondering if it might be a mistake to take this much during the summer especially if I'm still going to be working full time. The option is to quit work which I have thought about extensively. Unfortunately, I don't know how we are going to support ourselves for 3 years (1 year of prereqs and then 2 years of the dental hygiene program) with no influx of cash. I'm not really keen on building up huge mounds of financial aid debt. So it's really car wash or financial aid debt. As much as I hate my job, debt is not looking good.
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